UK Phone-Hacking Trial Hears Editor Wrote 'Do His Phone'

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

UK phone-hacking trial hears editor wrote 'do his phone'

By Michael Holden

Fri Nov 1, 2013 8:21am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Coulson, then editor of Rupert Murdoch's News of the World, instructed a journalist working on a story about a celebrity to "do his phone", a jury trying Coulson and others for phone-hacking was told on Friday.

Coulson, fellow former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks, and two senior employees of Murdoch's British group News International are accused of conspiring to intercept voicemails for stories.

Coulson, who after leaving the News of the World went on to be Prime Minister David Cameron's media chief, and Brooks, who rose to be chief executive of News International, also face two charges each of making illegal payments to public officials.

In total, eight defendants are in the dock on various charges related to phone-hacking, illegal payments for stories, and hindering police investigations. They all deny the charges.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE9A00DH20131101

[Paolo123]

1. I don't understand this phone hacking charge

As I understand it all they did was type in the default voicemail password. That is hardly "hacking".


Don't get me wrong, I despise the tabloid media but it seems that this story is over-blown.

[oldironside]

2. Default code or not, it is highly illegal.

It is as bad as opening someone else's mail, in the eyes of the law.

And just to be clear, they are accused of hacking the voicemails of politicians, members of the Royal family, a missing schoolgirl who was later found murdered, the relatives of British soldiers killed on active service, and victims of the 7/7 bombings in London to name just a few.

They are also accused of bribing public officials and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Given all that the prosuections are entirely justified and if they're found guilty they are facing long prison sentences.

[Paolo123]

4. oh i understand

However it seems the press is trying to make this into a "oh my god, they are like the NSA" story, when in reality the press has no more ability to hack your phone then your crazy ex girlfriend does.

[Ratty]

5. It wasn't always the default password

Sometimes they called the provider pretending to be the victim and telling them they forgot their password. That's known as social hacking. It's also very illegal.

[Paolo123]

7. oh wow

I didn't know that. Yes that is very bad.

[myrna minx]

3. K&R n/t

[Sunlei]

6. Roger Ailes. so what about the American crimes?

doubt they limited their snooping to the UK when the USA had bunches of elections and politicians to spy on.

News Corporation
Allegations about the violation of ethical standards by the News Corporation subsidiary News of the World have been speculatively applied to News Corporation holdings in the United States
Rupert Murdoch (Chairman and CEO)
Chase Carey (President, Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Chairman)
David DeVoe (Chief Financial Officer)
James Murdoch (Deputy Chief Operating Officer; Chairman and CEO, International)
Roger Ailes (Chairman, Fox Television


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Corporation







Roger Eugene Ailes (born May 15, 1940) is president of Fox News Channel, and chairman of the Fox Television Stations Group. Ailes was a media consultant for Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush and for Rudy Giuliani’s first mayoral campaign (1989).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ailes