Gustapo Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 In California, Matthew White is likely to go to prison. He was surfing Limewire, one of the most popular file sharing applications, when he had discovered he downloaded child pornography. He quickly deleted the files; however, a year later, FBI agents showed up at his home and asked to search his computer.Agents eventually found some images 'deep within the hard drive.' White asked if a normal user would even be able to find the deleted files and agents said no. Regardless, White, 22, is facing 20 years in prison for possessing child pornography. The FBI couldn't be reached for comment on this specific case, but they did inform CBS's local Sacramento network that if a user ever downloads child pornography accidentally that they should contact the authorities immediately. The FBI is likely to confiscate your computer, but it's better than the alternative. Internet searches reveal many complaints from Limewire's users of accidentally downloading child pornography. Source: GeekSmack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I remember back in the Kazaa days, you'd download some random porn and I swear, half the time you would end up with some child pornography - So disgusting. I doubt that crappy Limewire network is any different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PL_ Veteran Posted December 6, 2009 Veteran Share Posted December 6, 2009 While I'm totally against child porn, I think it's cases like these that show it's become a bit of a "witch hunt". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaughingMan Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 hope he gets off, it was an accident not like he went out of his way to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan300 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I call BS, its hard enough to recover data 5 mins later if something has been written to the hd. Not to mention a YEAR later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamp0 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 How does a case like this work? Clearly there are plenty of misnamed files on all of these P2P things, but what stops a pedo using that as an excuse, while at the same time not sending an accidental down loader to jail? I am surprised they even released his name. I call BS, its hard enough to recover data 5 mins later if something has been written to the hd. Not to mention a YEAR later Yea, I am not techy, but wouldn't it not be completely gone after a year? Unless he hasn't used his laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 hope he gets off Hopefully not to child porn :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhpuqrgrpgvirzhpujbj Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 So what happens if someone on Neowin puts child porn in their sig? A few people are bound to see it and have it downloaded to their cache before its removed. Do they all need to call the FBI and have them come investigate their computer just because of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizuran Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I remember back in the Kazaa days, you'd download some random porn and I swear, half the time you would end up with some child pornography - So disgusting. I doubt that crappy Limewire network is any different. I second this sediment. This is the primary reason I dropped both p2p clients 3 years ago. :no: On a side note, whats with the FBI trying to coax users who accidentally download child pr0n to come forward & tell, if they're actually monitoring such suspected network usage anyway? It's a clumsy, ham-fisted approach that will only complicate the lives of other unfortunate p2p users like Mr. White. :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappy Veteran Posted December 6, 2009 Veteran Share Posted December 6, 2009 I remember back in the Kazaa days, you'd download some random porn and I swear, half the time you would end up with some child pornography - So disgusting. I doubt that crappy Limewire network is any different. aye that's true...those networks were awful for anything tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted December 6, 2009 Member Share Posted December 6, 2009 It does seem like a bit of a witch hunt. Just another reason not to use P2P, at least for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doli Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 pleading guilty on the advice of his public defender Damn he has a public defender, not good for something this big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Delta Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 That is why it is best not to use Limewire for pr0n. Still, its sad that they are prepared to hunt people that may well be innocent just to prove a point, that is the only problem with the Internet, proving intent. Mind you as long as they put away another "dirty paedophile" I am sure they can twist the issue enough to win public support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Paliath Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 And what would happen if you stumble upon it on a site like 4Chan for example then quickly leave? Will they knock on your door then? There's something that's not being said here about this story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajua Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 It is unfortunate to him. However, its weird that the FBI showed up a year later at his house. Hopefully, if he is really innocent, he can get away. The authorities should a better way to accuse someone that to have deleted files in your hard drive. What if this user downloaded one file and deleted, but the authorities find more files in its hard drive that he bought out on ebay or something similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckboii Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 That sucks for him. Is there thats why I dont download any video from limewire, strictly music. and even music i barely do now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acnpt Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I guess he was just searching for beastiality* porn, but things got a bit mixed up :whistle: * I don't really want to type that into google to check the spelling :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_Lyons10 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Wow, that's really horrible. I feel sorry for the guy if what he's saying is true... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 That's pretty messed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Leopard Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 No way he could still have traces of those files a year later, normally anything deleted gets overwritten a week later at most. And if he is using `that? gaming program, it?s fairly sure he must have needed to format his HD at least five times within that timeframe, further complicating the forensics for the FBI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadeater Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 This is why the government shouldn't be allowed to spy on people without a warrant, or probable cause. Even if you're not guilty, do you like the idea of having to surrender your PC to the FBI whenever they feel like showing up to your house? Do you like the idea of your reputation being ruined because the FBI raided your home? People in the west have forgotten what totalitarianism is like. They think it could never happen in the US. It happens just like this, when all your rights disappear and the government believes it can do as it pleases. Guilty until proven innocent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craybox Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 can they remotely recover deleted files ? it all seems a bit suspect to me. After all they would have had to do that to find some evidence, and if they were that sounds like some intense digging, do they do that to every computer ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truba11a Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 This is why the government shouldn't be allowed to spy on people without a warrant, or probable cause. Even if you're not guilty, do you like the idea of having to surrender your PC to the FBI whenever they feel like showing up to your house? Do you like the idea of your reputation being ruined because the FBI raided your home?People in the west have forgotten what totalitarianism is like. They think it could never happen in the US. It happens just like this, when all your rights disappear and the government believes it can do as it pleases. Guilty until proven innocent? heh you're so right i wouldn't be surprised if the guy never even had the pr0n on his machine to begin with, it's unlikely to recover a deleted file one year later....i'm quite the techie, if he really is innocent there's something else going on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macrosslover Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I call bs on him. The FBI really does have better things to do than randomly select some person who may have purposedly or accidently downloaded a few images of child pornography. You usually have to do things to get on their radar not just have some agent throw a dart at the board and say let's go find this guy from a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsiMoon314 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Hi, Sounds like yet another reason not to install or use Limewire or similar P2P software to me. The only stuff folks seem to download from it are malware and other software which you don't want to have on your system anyway. Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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