750.540 Use of electronic medium of communication; prohibited conduct; violation as felony; penalty; definitions.

559 words·~3 min read·/mi/chapter-750/750-540

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Sec. 540.

(1)A person shall not willfully and maliciously cut, break, disconnect, interrupt, tap, or make any unauthorized connection with any electronic medium of communication, including the internet or a computer, computer program, computer system, or computer network, or a telephone.

(2)A person shall not willfully and maliciously read or copy any message from any telegraph, telephone line, wire, cable, computer network, computer program, or computer system, or telephone or other electronic medium of communication that the person accessed without authorization.

(3)A person shall not willfully and maliciously make unauthorized use of any electronic medium of communication, including the internet or a computer, computer program, computer system, or computer network, or telephone.

(4)A person shall not willfully and maliciously prevent, obstruct, or delay by any means the sending, conveyance, or delivery of any authorized communication, by or through any telegraph or telephone line, cable, wire, or any electronic medium of communication, including the internet or a computer, computer program, computer system, or computer network.

(5)A person who violates this section is guilty of a crime as follows:

(a)Except as provided in subdivision (b), the person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(b)If the incident to be reported results in injury to or the death of any person, the person violating this section is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.

(6)As used in this section:

(a)"Computer" means any connected, directly interoperable or interactive device, equipment, or facility that uses a computer program or other instructions to perform specific operations including logical, arithmetic, or memory functions with or on computer data or a computer program and that can store, retrieve, alter, or communicate the results of the operations to a person, computer program, computer, computer system, or computer network.

(b)"Computer network" means the interconnection of hardwire or wireless communication lines with a computer through remote terminals, or a complex consisting of 2 or more interconnected computers.

(c)"Computer program" means a series of internal or external instructions communicated in a form acceptable to a computer that directs the functioning of a computer, computer system, or computer network in a manner designed to provide or produce products or results from the computer, computer system, or computer network.

(d)"Computer system" means a set of related, connected or unconnected, computer equipment, devices, software, or hardware.

(e)"Internet" means that term as defined in section 230 of title II of the communications act of 1934, 47 USC 230, and includes voice over internet protocol services.

(7)This section does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law committed by that person while violating or attempting to violate this section.

History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 750.540 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 60 , Eff. June 1, 2006 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 61 , Eff. June 1, 2006

Former Law: See section 1 of Act 113 of 1893, being CL 1897, § 11637; CL 1915, § 15403; and CL 1929, § 17046.