Remember Senator Hatch's "inducement" act, that would have held P2P companies liable for the copyright infringement of their users? (No? What are you, normal?)
The issue is coming up again in the form of lobbyists and proposals for laws to hold software developers liable for security vulnerabilities in their products. Under some versions of this concept, if I bought a Microsoft operating system and my computer got hacked, Microsoft would have to pay me.
In a lively discussion about this on Slashdot, the following comments emerged:
=============
Person 1: Whatever happened to holding the people who exploit vulnerabilities responsible?
Person 2:That's crazy talk! What are you thinking, man? Next you'll suggest that when I walk down the street with my entire head completely exposed and vulnerable, that somehow the mugger than hits me over the head with a baseball bat may somehow be responsible for the outcome! See how crazy you are?
Or, when I lock my door and leave my house for the day, and a guy comes along with a sledgehammer and just breaks in anyway - I suppose you think that the person with the sledgehammer is somehow responsible for that? Totally twisted, man.
=============
I need say nothing more.