Oxford Student newspaper doxes Twitter account by possible criminal unauthorised use of a comptuer system

AssassinatedBeauty

Regularly on his twitter lmfao

Transphobia includes transmisogyny,

Oh come ON.

So, can you cite specific examples of when this professor has expressed views or made statements which are contrary to that guidance?

Because as far as I can tell it spans a vast spectrum

Yes, just like racism, homophobia and sexism there are degrees of transphobia, the fact there are violent extreme forms of it doesn't stop more "mild" forms still being transphobia.

Just for ultimate topicalness, here is the Oxford Universities own definition of transphobia which is pretty extensive and good.

www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/transgender/transgenderguidance/12transphobicabuseharassmentandbullying/

Recent Guardian Letter, 'Academics are being harassed over their research into transgender issues'
(extract)
"We represent a newly formed network of over 100 academics, most of whom are currently employed in UK universities. We are concerned, from a range of academic perspectives, about proposed governmental reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, and their interaction with the Equality Act.

Our subject areas include: sociology, philosophy, law, criminology, evidence-informed policy, medicine, psychology, education, history, English, social work, computer science, cognitive science, anthropology, political science, economics, and history of art. This week, following an opportunity offered to us by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, we have submitted to the consultation a number of letters, outlining, as individuals, concerns about the introduction of self-ID for gender reassignment.

We are also concerned about the suppression of proper academic analysis and discussion of the social phenomenon of transgenderism, and its multiple causes and effects. Members of our group have experienced campus protests, calls for dismissal in the press, harassment, foiled plots to bring about dismissal, no-platforming, and attempts to censor academic research and publications. Such attacks are out of line with the ordinary reception of critical ideas in the academy, where it is normally accepted that disagreement is reasonable and even productive.

Many of our universities have close links with trans advocacy organisations who provide “training” of academics and management, and who, it is reasonable to suppose, influence university policy through these links. Definitions used by these organisations of what counts as “transphobic” can be dangerously all-encompassing and go well beyond what a reasonable law would describe. They would not withstand academic analysis, and yet their effect is to curtail academic freedom and facilitate the censoring of academic work." (continues)
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3396754-Academics-letter-in-Guardian

Relevent threads:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3238951-some-good-news

Bristol:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3233018-Freedom-of-Speech-A-statement-by-the-Chair-of-the-Universitys-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Group

Newcastle:
"A Northumbria University spokesman said they decided to allow the event to take place because it was their “legal duty to uphold freedom of speech”.

He added: “We can confirm that this external event took place on campus on Thursday evening, which provided an opportunity for constructive and peaceful debate.

“The university considered this request carefully on the basis of our legal duty to uphold freedom of speech."
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3208735-Womens-Place-Newcastle?pg=2&messages=100

Sussex:
University of Sussex Vice Chancellor's statement, 'Living Our Values':
(extract)
"I have also reflected upon a situation involving an academic member of staff here at Sussex and the concerns raised by some members of our community on the views that she has shared on the Gender Recognition Act, which the government is currently consulting on.

The academic in question has come under fire for articulating views, informed by her philosophical research and scholarship, on the laws and customs surrounding gender identity. Although she has stated that she is fully supportive of the rights of everyone to identify their own gender, she has also raised questions about where boundaries should be set and these have provoked strong feelings and, in some cases, accusations. It’s at this juncture I’ve felt uncomfortable about the implication that there may be something more sinister going on.

This situation is actually a telling example of how we can choose to call upon our values to inform how we act.

By celebrating inclusion, we must recognise the personal courage of the many individuals who come up against abuse or unacceptable behaviour - just because they are being themselves. I know it has been extremely difficult for many people in the transgender and non-binary community to hear the views held by our academic.

But for me, alongside this, we must also be kind to those people who are brave enough to share their own views – and respect the courage they have for doing so. Whether it is one of our academics or another member of staff, or one of our students, I feel very strongly that we must respect their right to free speech. I hold a deep-rooted concern about the future of our democratic society if we silence the views of people we don't agree with – even if our disagreements are vehemently opposed." (continues)
www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/newsandevents/?id=45388?ref=emailaccessible
thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3292400-WPUK-Brighton-Meeting-Turning-the-Tide

Edinburgh
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3392001-Calls-for-Rector-of-Edinburgh-University-to-be-sacked-because-she-re-tweeted-message-about-House-of-Commons-meeting-on-GRA

Reading
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3350957-Academic-Freedom-Please-Help

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3335045-Professor-Rosa-Freedman

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3402958-I-dont-give-a-fuck-about-your-traumatic-sexual-assault

Goldsmiths
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3359116-The-Times-smear-campaign-by-trans-lecturer-at-Goldsmiths

That's completely clear there Upstart - definitely misuse.

You are entitled to online anonymity - just like people in the UK are in normal day to day life. We're not required to carry any identifying documents, or prove who we are to visit Tescos, and Police officers can't require you give your name, or even require that you talk to them unless they have reasonable suspicion and under strict circumstances!

If you won’t, perhaps you need to re-evaluate your own views and conduct

What's your definition of transphobe?

Because as far as I can tell it spans a vast spectrum, from correctly being used to describe those who do seek to commit acts of physical violence and harassment against trans people (which is clearly wrong) through to people who want to defend the legality of women-only spaces (currently allowed under the Equalities Act), and women's freedom of speech to talk about their need for women-only spaces.

So what's your meaning of "transphobic"? Is it transphobic of me, for instance, to say that Karen White should not have been imprisoned in a women's prison?

So have the courage of your convictions and stand by your righteous accusations of transphobia!

LemonJello Literally don't know who that is

It is a breach of the computer Misuse Act.
The 'recover password' function has to be available to the person who owns the account. Its unavoidable that in making it accessible to the owner, they also make it accessible to everyone else.
It is not an invitation to treat, any more than my keys left in my front door is an invitation to anyone to enter my home.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/18/section/1

Unauthorised access to computer material.
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if—
(a)he causes a computer to perform any function with intent to secure access to any program or data held in any computer
(b)the access he intends to secure is unauthorised; and
(c)he knows at the time when he causes the computer to perform the function that that is the case.

LemonJello I'm not "entitled" to online anonymity.

Are you Markinson?

I get that's your accusation, but what are you basing that claim on?

@AssassinatedBeauty He is a transphobe

@OrangeStudent I wonder if you could expand on what views this professor holds which are "fundamentally contrary and incompatable with the values of the University"? Thanks.

I think it’s very relevant. Who are you then? If you don’t want to say, why do you think you should be entitled to anonymity but not Mr Henry?

TRAs go on and on about eevurl t*fs doxing and outing them and yet here we have one crowing about someone having done just that. The world is a topsy turvy place.

*This never happens, it's always the TRAs in a truly obvious DARVO that in most cases simply puts women and children at risk of harm.

I think that mis-using forgotten password could very arguably fall under computer mis-use legally personally.

By using twitter, you agree to their terms of use - for example:

by interfering with them or accessing them using a method other than the interface and the instructions that we provide

Using the forgotten password facility to access details on another user most certainly is 'other than... the instructions that we provide' - that facility is provided to gain access to your account, not other peoples' (that would be hacking)

Their terms of service explicitly say that you're agreeing with them having access themselves, not giving access to all and sundry. Not to mention their rules explicitly forbid sharing other people's information, or threatening to do so.

Why ever not?

Because its a total distraction and not relevant to the points at hand, which is why I came here. People have actually worked out who I am before when I have jumped down this rabbit hole, but this is just a ridiculous tangent.

That's true nauticant.

My personal approach to the threat of doxxing is to make a few cautiously GC comments on national newspapers under my real name, so if someone were to approach my employer, I'd say "well here I am saying it out in the real world and freedom of belief is a right under international human rights laws."

I realise however that not everyone has that option (especially if they're in the "caring" professions.)

I don't say anything on here about any matter which I wouldn't say to someone's face - my anonymity is largely down to having friends who hold different political opinions (on a whole range of things), and typically I value their friendship over bludgeoning them with my political views. So although I could say it to their faces (and probably do so sufficiently diplomatically that all would be well) I typically choose not to.

Do we think the University of Oxford is up for a Year Zero?!

"I have entered this debate not because I am a feminist but because freedom of speech is one of the highest values of a democratic society, and the basic foundation of university life.
Transgender activism poses a grave threat to freedom of speech. I think of the young MPhil student who had to disguise herself to attend this meeting because she feared the reaction of fellow students. This is the generation that we have educated."

This prescient statement by Professor Biggs was written in May 2018. You might consider it further OrangeStudent

Also in context, May 3rd 2018:
Sam Gyimah, the universities minister, will announce tough guidance on the issue at a meeting today, calling attempts to silence debate “chilling”.

He will accuse some student societies of “institutional hostility” to certain unfashionable but perfectly lawful views. A “murky” legal landscape, with guidance from various regulators, lets zealots censor those with whom they disagree, Mr Gyimah will say."

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sam-gyimah-crackdown-on-students-silencing-free-speech-x28jx85fc

thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3239267-Free-Speech-No-Platforming-at-Universities

The agreements simply don't say that at all, and in any case it's not relevant whether an agreement between a person & Twitter provides that they might not keep your email address 100% anonymous from doxing TRAs, as to whether the act of that doxing is legal.

The CMA would just simply not be applied in this case, there is a reason why people like Aimee Challenor have not been prosecuted for doing similar things. Go to the police if you really want to try it.

But just ranting on here about them having broken the law is just absurd and a waste of time. Criticise them for exposing him, but don't just go down an absurd tangent because it makes you feel morally superior that you think you have got 'em.

Incidentally. FermatsTheorem your physical analogy isn't really relevant or applicable, the law are totally different. The point however is, that using the password recovery service to do what they did would not come under accesssing unauthorised data.