# Illegal numbers. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 12, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862 "2010-10-12T04:25:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/1 "2010-10-12T04:25:34Z")
I ran across the concept while looking for something totally unrelated on Wikipedia-- Are they allowed here? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/2 "2010-10-12T04:28:52Z")
Only guy running the numbers racket in this neighborhood in Uncle Cecil. You try to cut in on his action, he sends the mods to break your face. What are illegal numbers? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/3 "2010-10-12T04:29:40Z")
[[post deleted]] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/4 "2010-10-12T04:30:40Z")
[For those not familiar with the idea (like me):](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_number) > [@](#): > > An illegal number is a number that represents information which is illegal to possess, utter or propagate. Any information that can be represented in binary format is, ipso facto, representable as a number, and therefore if the information itself is illegal in some way, the pure number itself may be illegal. It sounds pretty clear that this would violate the rules. You’re not allowed to use the board to break the law or encourage people to break the law. > [@SDMB registration agreement as of 12/29/2008](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-registration-agreement-as-of-12-29-2008/406370/1): > > You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use the SDMB to post any material that you know or should know is false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy, or **in** violati **on** of U.S. law. You agree not to post material that in our opinion **encourages** activity that is illegal in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/5 "2010-10-12T04:30:47Z")
[[post deleted] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/6 "2010-10-12T04:32:50Z")
Hey, **Darth Nader** : do you think it’s a good idea to ask if you’re allowed to do something, and then go ahead and do it before you get an answer? Knock it off. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/7 "2010-10-12T04:33:15Z")
Sorry, please yoink my last post. Number are scary. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/8 "2010-10-12T04:35:10Z")
Well, since a binary file can represent any image, I’m sure that a number representing any kind of child porn image would be an illegal number. The article also mentions numbers that can act as encryption keys may be illegal to possess. I have never thought of this before now. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/9 "2010-10-12T04:38:56Z")
I’m not understanding how the number itself could possibly be “illegal” unless there was also proof that the person in possession also knew what the number represented. Maybe the guy was a math junkie, and liked working with improbably large numbers…having no idea that one of his equations also happens to be the binary code for a kiddy porn image or the launch code for nuclear weapons or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/10 "2010-10-12T05:02:28Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’m not understanding how the number itself could possibly be “illegal” unless there was also proof that the person in possession also knew what the number represented. Maybe the guy was a math junkie, and liked working with improbably large numbers…having no idea that one of his equations also happens to be the binary code for a kiddy porn image or the launch code for nuclear weapons or whatever. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The terrorist hacker pervert goes to prison. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/11 "2010-10-12T05:02:51Z")
Why does this thread feel like Dan Brown wrote it? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/12 "2010-10-12T05:56:18Z")
Why is this novel? In the US certain types of information are illegal. All info is convertible into numbers. The only variable is how close (or how large the highway signs) to the original information source the number is before the mods take notice. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/13 "2010-10-12T11:47:29Z")
I’ve always wanted to see someone try the defense, “I wasn’t downloading a movie; I was just interested in this very large number.” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/14 "2010-10-12T12:44:34Z")
What with [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=581381), [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=581494), and now this thread, I feel like I don’t understand the world anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/15 "2010-10-12T15:51:23Z")
There is a number very close to 6.62813944 × 10^36 \* 2 that some jerks claim is copyrighted, or something. I don’t get it. I wanted to know if a string of numbers could be posted here or not. It’s gotta happen somewhere in π-- is it okay to post π^gazillion in say, hex? Besides boring people, I mean. Again, sorry I posted those two evil numbers. Did I really break the law? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/16 "2010-10-12T16:02:58Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > I wanted to know if a string of numbers could be posted here or not. In furtherance of breaking the law? NO. In this case it sounds like these numbers are mostly a copyright issue and the SDMB goes out of its way to respect copyrights on song lyrics, DVD encryptions, and things like that. > [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > Again, sorry I posted those two evil numbers. Did I really break the law? I don’t know if you broke any laws. I do know you’re dancing up to the line again after I already told you to stop. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/17 "2010-10-12T17:22:16Z")
Okay, okay, sorry. There are some numbers which must remain unknown here. So, 487638729642870560342\* might get me banned. [sub]\*not, as far as I know, illegal.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/18 "2010-10-12T17:45:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t know if you broke any laws. I do know you’re dancing up to the line again after I already told you to stop. Oh, go fuck yourself. And suck that cunt **Miller** off whilst doing so, 'kay? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/19 "2010-10-12T18:00:28Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > > [@Marley23](#): > > > > I don’t know if you broke any laws. I do know you’re dancing up to the line again after I already told you to stop. > > Oh, go fuck yourself. And suck that cunt **Miller** off whilst doing so, 'kay? Just don’t tell him his mama wears army boots. Because that would be over the line. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862/20 "2010-10-12T18:00:52Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > > [@Marley23](#): > > > > I don’t know if you broke any laws. I do know you’re dancing up to the line again after I already told you to stop. > > Oh, go fuck yourself. And suck that cunt **Miller** off whilst doing so, 'kay? I hope that was worth it. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-numbers/556862.md?page=2)