Relates to unauthorized use of a cellular telephone or any data contained therein
Add §§79-q, 79-r & 79-s, Civ Rts L
Establishes penalties for unauthorized use of a cellular telephone, tampering with a cellular telephone or possessing any data contained therein without consent.
An act to amend the civil rights law, in relation to unauthorized use of
a cellular telephone or any data contained therein
To protect personal information contained in cell phones in the same
manner as personal information derived from computers.
Section one amends the civil rights law to prohibit the access of a cell
phone or information contained on a cell phone without the owner's
authorization. Section one also prohibits alteration or destruction of
data on a cell phone without owner authorization, and prohibits unau-
thorized users from possessing copies of cell phone data with the intent
to benefit themselves. Violating the first two of these provisions can
be punishable by up to five thousand dollars in damages or twice the
amount of economic gain realized from such unauthorized use, while
violating the third provision is punishable by up to ten thousand
dollars in damages or twice the amount of economic gain realized as a
result of the unauthorized use.
As use of technology in daily life has expanded, the risk of digital
crime has increased. These crimes provide perpetrators with a degree of
anonymity and, if successful, access to personal, business and govern-
mental data. Many computer crimes are committed as a means of stealing
money or valuable information, although financial gain is not always the
Computer crime laws are aimed at actions that damage, destroy or inter-
fere with computer data or operation, including the use or misuse of
data stored on computers or interne networks. These laws make a broad
range of computer activities without permission illegal, such as unau-
thorized access, computer trespassing, data copying, hacking, installing
virus, adware, or spyware, denial of services, and phishing.
The protections afforded to computer owners are not currently provided
to New Yorkers who own and use cellular devices. According to the Pew
Research Center, 96% of Americans use cell phones, with 81% using smart-
phones, which contain significant amounts of data. This bill extends
computer protections to cell phone owners, which will hopefully deter
perpetrators from undertaking activities that might harm cell phone
2020:5.7795 (Thomas) - Referred to Codes Committee.
No costs to state or local governments.
   Section  1.  The  civil  rights  law  is  amended  by adding three new
 sections 79-q, 79-r and 79-s to read as follows:
   § 79-Q. UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A  CELLULAR  TELEPHONE.  NO  PERSON  SHALL
 KNOWINGLY  USE,  CAUSE TO BE USED, OR ACCESS A CELLULAR TELEPHONE OR ANY
 INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION OF THE OWNER OF SUCH
 CELLULAR TELEPHONE. IN ANY ACTION COMMENCED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS SECTION,
 THE COURT MAY AWARD UP TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES, OR AN AMOUNT
 EQUAL TO TWICE THE AMOUNT OF ANY ECONOMIC GAIN REALIZED AS A  RESULT  OF
   §  79-R.  TAMPERING  WITH A CELLULAR TELEPHONE. NO PERSON SHALL INTEN-
 TIONALLY ALTER IN ANY  MANNER OR DESTROY ANY DATA ON  A  CELLULAR  TELE-
 PHONE  BELONGING TO ANOTHER PERSON WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.  IN ANY ACTION
 COMMENCED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS SECTION,  THE  COURT MAY AWARD UP TO  FIVE
 THOUSAND  DOLLARS  IN DAMAGES, OR AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO TWICE THE AMOUNT OF
 ANY ECONOMIC GAIN REALIZED AS A RESULT OF SUCH UNAUTHORIZED USE.
   § 79-S. UNAUTHORIZED  POSSESSION OF CELLULAR TELEPHONE RELATED MATERI-
 AL.  NO PERSON SHALL KNOWINGLY POSSESS, IN ANY FORM, ANY  COPY,  REPROD-
 UCTION  OR  DUPLICATE  OF  ANY CELLULAR TELEPHONE DATA WHICH WAS COPIED,
 REPRODUCED OR  DUPLICATED  WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE OWNER OF THE  CELLULAR
 TELEPHONE,  WITH  INTENT TO BENEFIT HIMSELF OR HERSELF OR A PERSON OTHER
 THAN AN OWNER THEREOF. IN ANY ACTION COMMENCED    PURSUANT    TO    THIS
 SECTION,  THE  COURT MAY AWARD UP TO TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES, OR
 AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO TWICE THE AMOUNT OF ANY ECONOMIC GAIN REALIZED  AS  A
 RESULT OF SUCH UNAUTHORIZED USE.
State Senate approves 11 anti-housing discrimination bills