Violating computer security is only a crime if you're "Anonymous"
"In August, they revealed JavaScript hosted on MSN.com and three other Microsoft websites that secretly logged visitors' browsing histories across multiple web properties, even when the users deleted browser cookies to elude tracking. The researchers also exposed a marketer that helped websites deliver targeted ads by exploiting a decade-old browser flaw that leaks the history of websites that users visit."
To me, it isn't that surprising that this occurred. What is disgusting is that nothing has been done about it. Laws are already on the books that make this criminal behavior - not the tracking itself per se, but deliberately and knowingly bypassing the security measures on another computer. Just from this paragraph alone, it is my firm belief that both Microsoft and this marketer should be under criminal investigation. I also question whether or not a fine alone is adequate punitive action; there where individual humans who made the decision to bypass the security settings of thousands, if not millions, of computers on the 'net. If some kid somewhere scraped out this much information from people's computers against their will, the FBI would be turning over the couches and shaking them looking to see if clues would fall out.
Someone, or multiple someones, should be in prison right now.
-d
P.S. - Not trying defend anyone with my title, just pointing out the double standard.