Braben speaks out against hacking, says it has nothing to do with freedom of speech

There have been suggestions that releasing hacking information is an issue of freedom of speech. That is such rubbish. Some freedoms of speech are also curtailed for sensible reasons. Broadcasting easy ways of breaking into cars is bad for everyone affected, as is the freedom of speech cliché that is always wheeled out – shouting ‘Fire’ in a cinema, which creates a real risk of harm to others. It is common sense not to do it. There is a more subtle side to this not ‘getting’ ownership. That is the failure to acknowledge intellectual property rights, and rights to a service. When we buy a new car, we buy an item and a service. In this case, it is mostly the item we are buying, but the service is significant. This is a service, and if you sell the car, the warranty and maintenance cover does not restart.