Why is blackmail illegal?

[TTBit]

A person should be happy he has the opportunity to pay to keep information quiet. If that price is too high, the person being blackmailed can release the information himself, or negotiate a lower price. With careful, escrowed payments, the person doing the blackmailing now has an incentive to make sure the information is kept secure, otherwise he won’t be paid in full.

I’m not suggesting “Pay me BTC10 per month or I punch you in the face” should be legal. That is physical violence being held back. I’m talking about holding back information that you are otherwise free to announce at any time.

In the Romney – bitcoin situation, these people appear to have broken the law by stealing (if true, which I think is a hoax). If they stole the information and then announced it to the world however, they wouldn’t be arrested for the release of the information, but the theft that occurred first.

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[Fiyasko]

AHAHAHA Why?!
Well Lets just say the world majority population has more secrets than stories.
I've got nothing to hide, I cant be blackmailed So i am on your side of "why is it illegal"
But i know why it's illegal, It's just so funny that you've asked "why"

Saaaay I own... Hmm Mitt Romneys Tax Returns (an i know that they are fradulent) [for the sake of this example]
And i tell him, "pay me One million $ worth of bitcoins, Or i will Ruin your life"

Well heres the thing, Even if Romney Pays the 1mil, I could just make the Same demand, Again, And again, Untill he says no, At wich point i've raked millions out of him and still spread the info.

People keep secrets for (usually) good reasons, Especially the government, So, The government made it illegal to use methods of exploting money from them just by "having information"

The government doesnt like when thier secrets are revealed, So they made it illegal for someone to leverage them into spilling the info.

Blackmail? I have none. I dont lie, I dont hide, Goahead and search my room, My Bank, MY COMPUTER for anything you want, And you'll find it.
My response? Thats me dude. If your freaked out by what you found, Why did you go looking?

It's all about Secrets, The world wants to hold secrets, And have it illegal for others to try and access your secrets
Im not against, Nor for it, Since i am totally neutral in the field of "blackmail"

Seriously, What does Blackmail get used for? Hmmmm:
Money (Pay me or i ruin your life)
Drugs (I'll just tell the police about your little operation with my proof, Unless you give me free drugs for aslong as i ask)
Sex (strip or i'll show everyone XYZ that will destroy your career)
Information (Give me your passwords or else i'll tell everyone all about your illegal lovelife)
Social Status (ima tell everyone THIS embarrasing/life crippling thing about you unless you promote me and pay me more)

Hmm, Wheres the good in Blackmailing? I dont see any. So they made it illegal

[Matthew N. Wright]

AHAHAHA Why?!
Well Lets just say the world majority population has more secrets than stories.
I've got nothing to hide, I cant be blackmailed So i am on your side of "why is it illegal"
But i know why it's illegal, It's just so funny that you've asked "why"

Saaaay I own... Hmm Mitt Romneys Tax Returns (an i know that they are fradulent) [for the sake of this example]
And i tell him, "pay me One million $ worth of bitcoins, Or i will Ruin your life"

Well heres the thing, Even if Romney Pays the 1mil, I could just make the Same demand, Again, And again, Untill he says no, At wich point i've raked millions out of him and still spread the info.

People keep secrets for (usually) good reasons, Especially the government, So, The government made it illegal to use methods of exploting money from them just by "having information"

The government doesnt like when thier secrets are revealed, So they made it illegal for someone to leverage them into spilling the info.

Blackmail? I have none. I dont lie, I dont hide, Goahead and search my room, My Bank, MY COMPUTER for anything you want, And you'll find it.
My response? Thats me dude. If your freaked out by what you found, Why did you go looking?

It's all about Secrets, The world wants to hold secrets, And have it illegal for others to try and access your secrets
Im not against, Nor for it, Since i am totally neutral in the field of "blackmail"

Seriously, What does Blackmail get used for? Hmmmm:
Money (Pay me or i ruin your life)
Drugs (I'll just tell the police about your little operation with my proof, Unless you give me free drugs for aslong as i ask)
Sex (strip or i'll show everyone XYZ that will destroy your career)
Information (Give me your passwords or else i'll tell everyone all about your illegal lovelife)
Social Status (ima tell everyone THIS embarrasing/life crippling thing about you unless you promote me and pay me more)

Hmm, Wheres the good in Blackmailing? I dont see any. So they made it illegal

Big words for an anonymous bitcoiner.

[TTBit]

AHAHAHA Why?!
Well Lets just say the world majority population has more secrets than stories.
I've got nothing to hide, I cant be blackmailed So i am on your side of "why is it illegal"
But i know why it's illegal, It's just so funny that you've asked "why"

Saaaay I own... Hmm Mitt Romneys Tax Returns (an i know that they are fradulent) [for the sake of this example]
And i tell him, "pay me One million $ worth of bitcoins, Or i will Ruin your life"

Well heres the thing, Even if Romney Pays the 1mil, I could just make the Same demand, Again, And again, Untill he says no, At wich point i've raked millions out of him and still spread the info.

People keep secrets for (usually) good reasons, Especially the government, So, The government made it illegal to use methods of exploting money from them just by "having information"

The government doesnt like when thier secrets are revealed, So they made it illegal for someone to leverage them into spilling the info.

Blackmail? I have none. I dont lie, I dont hide, Goahead and search my room, My Bank, MY COMPUTER for anything you want, And you'll find it.
My response? Thats me dude. If your freaked out by what you found, Why did you go looking?

It's all about Secrets, The world wants to hold secrets, And have it illegal for others to try and access your secrets
Im not against, Nor for it, Since i am totally neutral in the field of "blackmail"

Seriously, What does Blackmail get used for? Hmmmm:
Money (Pay me or i ruin your life)
Drugs (I'll just tell the police about your little operation with my proof, Unless you give me free drugs for aslong as i ask)
Sex (strip or i'll show everyone XYZ that will destroy your career)
Information (Give me your passwords or else i'll tell everyone all about your illegal lovelife)
Social Status (ima tell everyone THIS embarrasing/life crippling thing about you unless you promote me and pay me more)

Hmm, Wheres the good in Blackmailing? I dont see any. So they made it illegal

Instead of a $1M upfront, if I were to be blackmailed, I would insist the "blackmailee" take out a $1M loan, and I would make the payments. Info ever got out, I stop making payments.

[bitcoinbear]

Instead of a $1M upfront, if I were to be blackmailed, I would insist the "blackmailee" take out a $1M loan, and I would make the payments. Info ever got out, I stop making payments.

That doesn't make any sense. First of all, how is the guy going to get a loan? "Hi, I'd like a loan for 1 million dollars. I can totally pay the payments, some dude I am blackmailing said he would pay up!" If he did manage to get the loan, he would just run off with the million dallars. If he sends out the info, how is stopping payments going to help you any?

[Fiyasko]

-Snip-

Big words for an anonymous bitcoiner.

but but... im not anonymus! you can find out who i am easily!... Im pretty sure atleast.
Im sure your just making the point that all bitcoiners are techinically anonymus

[TTBit]

Instead of a $1M upfront, if I were to be blackmailed, I would insist the "blackmailee" take out a $1M loan, and I would make the payments. Info ever got out, I stop making payments.

That doesn't make any sense. First of all, how is the guy going to get a loan? "Hi, I'd like a loan for 1 million dollars. I can totally pay the payments, some dude I am blackmailing said he would pay up!" If he did manage to get the loan, he would just run off with the million dallars. If he sends out the info, how is stopping payments going to help you any?

I didn't think through the size. Yes, $1M would be large. But how about a large car loan? Seems most could qualify. The blackmailer wouldn't be able to "run off", he would put up his reputation/assets for the loan -- he's not anonymous. The blackmailee would make payments. If the info gets out, stop payments. Blackmailer would owe the balance.

[molecular]

Instead of a $1M upfront, if I were to be blackmailed, I would insist the "blackmailee" take out a $1M loan, and I would make the payments. Info ever got out, I stop making payments.

That doesn't make any sense. First of all, how is the guy going to get a loan? "Hi, I'd like a loan for 1 million dollars. I can totally pay the payments, some dude I am blackmailing said he would pay up!" If he did manage to get the loan, he would just run off with the million dallars. If he sends out the info, how is stopping payments going to help you any?

How about a simple monthly payment with the million in escrow. Problem: escrow service would probably take part in the underlying crime, so that's not easily possible. Another problem: the publishing of the tax returns might become un-harmful by some event and the blackmailee might then cease payments.

I myself would only pay a blackmailer who has a proven record of delivering on his promises and is a member of the "guild of trusted blackmailers" (who deliver "justice" internally when needed to keep members trustworthy).

[n8rwJeTt8TrrLKPa55eU]

Defending the Blackmailer, by Walter Block:
http://mises.org/daily/5957/Defending-the-Blackmailer

Audiobook, Defending the Undefendable, Chapter 6: The Blackmailer by Walter Block:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1wf-OeUys

BTW the entire "Defending the Undefendable" book ïs a must-read, and is available in its entirety as a free PDF or audiobook:
http://mises.org/books/defending.pdf
http://mises.org/media.aspx?action=category&ID=143

[Fiyasko]

Defending the Blackmailer, by Walter Block:
http://mises.org/daily/5957/Defending-the-Blackmailer

Audiobook, Defending the Undefendable, Chapter 6: The Blackmailer by Walter Block:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1wf-OeUys

BTW the entire "Defending the Undefendable" book ïs a must-read, and is available in its entirety as a free PDF or audiobook:
http://mises.org/books/defending.pdf
http://mises.org/media.aspx?action=category&ID=143

Innntresting

[hottweelz]

I say "Just don't lie."

"Did you steal the cookie from the Cookie jar?"

"Yes."

"Oh... well what if you run for President?!"

"I wouldn't have stolen the cookie."

[molecular]

Defending the Blackmailer, by Walter Block:
http://mises.org/daily/5957/Defending-the-Blackmailer

Audiobook, Defending the Undefendable, Chapter 6: The Blackmailer by Walter Block:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1wf-OeUys

BTW the entire "Defending the Undefendable" book ïs a must-read, and is available in its entirety as a free PDF or audiobook:
http://mises.org/books/defending.pdf
http://mises.org/media.aspx?action=category&ID=143

Thanks for these links, listening to the audio version on the ride to/from work. I wish I could argue these issues as clearly as Walter Block when in certain conversations.

[Bjork]

All you would have to do is sign some contract to make the blackmailing payments...

[FreeMoney]

Is it even illegal all over? How do they word the law usually?

Law is a joke, selectively interpreted and enforced, it's just a club used by people in control to stay there.

Absolutely no law enforcement is going to care if I get blackmailed. At best they would think it funny if I complained, possibly I'd be charged with interfering with their 'important' work.

"Officer, my brother copied my tax forms and is threatening to post them on his blog if I don't give him $1000 (in bitcoins lol)"