"The use of Metadata in URIs" and UK law

Section 2.2 of The use of Metadata in URIs

    http://www.w3.org/2001/tag/doc/metaDataInURI-31-20061107.html

incites the manipulation of URLs to obtain access to resources
which has not been specifically authorized.  In the UK such
access would be a contravention of the Computer Misuse Act
1990.  I know it's idiotic, but there's case law to support
it.  Google for Daniel Cuthbert for a relevant case.

Questions:

1. Should this TAG finding note this point?

2. Can a TAG finding define or change the meaning of a URL,
     an HTTP access or other protocol element in such a way
     as to change the interpretation of the law in a country?

3. Should a TAG finding define...?

This is all rather silly but if the TAG can word this document
in a way that makes it clear that not only is it true that:

> Still, the ability to explore the Web informally and 
> experimentally is very valuable, and Web users act on 
> such guesses about URIs all the time.

but also that it is an implicit part of running a web server
to accept that such experimentation is legitimate then they'd
be doing all of us a favour.

Regards,

Ed Davies.

Received on Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:50:52 UTC