Thread: New Computer Repair Law Could Affect Both Company Owners and Consumers

A new Texas law requires every computer repair technician to obtain a private investigator's license, according to a lawsuit filed in Austin. Violators can face a $4,000 fine and one year in jail, as well as a $10,000 civil penalty.

Here..............

This falls smack into the "Youjustcan'tmakethisshitup" department. I mean WTF could this possibly benefit.

Originally Posted by michaelr

Here..............

This falls smack into the "Youjustcan'tmakethisshitup" department. I mean WTF could this possibly benefit.

Do you just not read your own sources, or do you get some kind of thrill in misleading people with your information?

This has nothing to do with computer technicians that perform routine maintenance, or upgrades on computers. It has to do security analysis of private information on computers. They don't want some hack performing forensic analysis on computers.

The Institute for Justice, a legal advocacy group for entrepreneurs, informed Rife last month of a Texas state law requiring computer repair shops to have a private investigator's license to fix computers.

here.........

You having problems reading today??

Originally Posted by michaelr

here.........

You having problems reading today??

According to the law passed in the 2007 Texas legislative session, the private investigator's license is required for repair technicians to analyze their customers' computer data. This analysis is common for business managers who wish to track their employees' computer usage or families who want to find out where their children or spouses have been online, said Matt Miller, executive director of the institute.

"Anyone that analyzes computer data has conducted this regulated service and needs a license," Miller said'

No I'm not having a hard time reading. This is exactly what I said. When performing anaylisis of DATA, not systems on a system they are conducting forensic anaylsis that maybe authorized and may not be. Normally there is a specical software tool that is required for this type of analysis and requires training. I know, I do this.

Most technical issues has nothing to do with your data. This type of anaylsis is normally being done, like the article suggested, by snoppy managers that want to police what you have on the computer. And if they want to use that information against you at some point they better make sure the person has got that information legally and has had training, because... if not it can be used against you.

Originally Posted by Notmyrealname

According to the law passed in the 2007 Texas legislative session, the private investigator's license is required for repair technicians to analyze their customers' computer data. This analysis is common for business managers who wish to track their employees' computer usage or families who want to find out where their children or spouses have been online, said Matt Miller, executive director of the institute.

"Anyone that analyzes computer data has conducted this regulated service and needs a license," Miller said'

No I'm not having a hard time reading. This is exactly what I said. When performing anaylisis of DATA, not systems on a system they are conducting forensic anaylsis that maybe authorized and may not be. Normally there is a specical software tool that is required for this type of analysis and requires training. I know, I do this.

Most technical issues has nothing to do with your data. This type of anaylsis is normally being done, like the article suggested, by snoppy managers that want to police what you have on the computer. And if they want to use that information against you at some point they better make sure the person has got that information legally and has had training, because... if not it can be used against you.

"Anyone that analyzes computer data has conducted this regulated service and needs a license," Miller said'

This is a daily function of a repairman.

The embolden part of your quote is what I was thinking, but if I say it is become a CT, so thank you for stating that.

Originally Posted by michaelr

"Anyone that analyzes computer data has conducted this regulated service and needs a license," Miller said'

This is a daily function of a repairman.

The embolden part of your quote is what I was thinking, but if I say it is become a CT, so thank you for stating that.

I get your point to an extent..... the law I read, which was attached to your original posts was referring to security data analysis, not normal data analysis like checking website history.

Read your second article's headline:

Computer repair technicians may be acting illegally

When you see an article like this be very very careful.... it's a sounds a lot like drive by reporting. They're trying to manipulate your opinion before you even read the article. the article suggests this activity maybe illegal. But it doesn't provide a link to the law, nor the language that I read which actually was more defined in the activity of security analysis, not normal computer repair type stuff.

Now I don't know I maybe wrong.... I don't think so, but maybe the way the law is written and how some prosecutor's have a malicious mentality to prosecute this could be a problem for some repair shops. But the law I read was pretty specific about security analysis of data, which is directly related to forensic investigation.

Just to go a little deeper in this to explain the difference between someone that is trained in forensic computer analysis and an A+ certified technician.

It's like taking your car to grease monkey to get your main car computer worked on.

An A+ technician may know their way around a computer, and they may even have some of the tools to perform forensic analysis of your computer, but you really don't want this guy doing that to your PC. It's more for your protection, or the protection of the actual owner of the PC.

Of course these guys need to be able to look at certain things to fix your PC, and some of it requires some analysis of the data or registry, but believe me there is a huge difference in the scope of analysis when your talking about real security forensic analysis compared to the stuff a normal technician would/should do.

Originally Posted by Notmyrealname

Just go a little deeper in this to explain the difference between someone that is trained in forensic computer analysis and an A++ certified technician.

It's like taking your car to grease monkey to get your main car computer worked on.

An A++ technician may know their way around a computer, and they may even have some of the tools to perform forensic analysis of your computer, but you really don't want this guy doing that to your PC. It's more for your protection, or the protection of the actual owner of the PC.

Of course these guys need to be able to look at certain things to fix your PC, and some of it requires some analysis of the data or registry, but believe me there is a huge difference in the scope of analysis when your talking about real security forensic analysis compared to the stuff a normal technician would/should do.

Well for me this is a non issue, as I would never allow a tech in my machine. I do however appreciate your input and thoughts on the subject.

Originally Posted by michaelr

Well for me this is a non issue, as I would never allow a tech in my machine. I do however appreciate your input and thoughts on the subject.

I appreciate that.