Supreme Court Pares Back Anti-Hacking Law

In a closely watched case, the Supreme Court Thursday voted 6-3 to narrow the scope of a 1980s-era anti-hacking law.

Writing for the majority, Justice Amy Coney Barrett said former police sergeant Nathan Van Buren didn't violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by allegedly accessing an official database for non-work reasons. That law prohibits people from exceeding their authorized access to computer servers.

Van Buren was charged with running afoul of the anti-hacking law by accepting a $5,000 bribe to access a license-plate database in order to look up information about a woman. (The person who offered the bribe said he was trying to research a woman he met at a strip club. In actuality, the briber was working undercover with the FBI.)