John Stossel's Illegal Everything
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN recommends it in discussions of overcriminalization and prosecutorial overreach, notably after Aaron Swartz's death.
What it is
A John Stossel special arguing that Americans can be criminalized for almost anything, with examples of overzealous prosecutors and regulators such as the EPA. It is a documentary on overcriminalization.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2012 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Recommends nextparadigms · 2012-03 · on “Don't Talk to Cops”
Any chance the US law will ever be fixed so that people can't be easily arrested over anything, really? There's also this mini-doc that's related to this: [this video]
Recommends hellome · 2013-01 · on “Aaron Swartz commits suicide”
I want to offer my condolences for your loss, Im very empathetic to Arron's situation. I can only imagine someone that graduated and took the right path in life to be potential labeled as a felon If in fact he what I assumed cared greatly about his reputation I ask that you all watch; titled Illegal Everything [this video] its my goal that maybe this tragedy may help the next Aaron????
Cites attila-lendvai · 2026-07 · on “The growing vigilante movement to knock out Flock surveillance cameras”
the problem with pitching Flock as "the triumph of technology over criminality" is that because of all the bogus edicts, an average american commits three felonies every single day. and whoever picks who gets prosecuted for what, is the owner running the plantation. Three Felonies a Day [LINK] In 2006, the Code of Laws of the United States of America: 200000 pages ( [LINK] ) with 500 pages/week it's about 10 years just to read it, i.e. to have a chance not breaking it (but this wrongly assumes that it's not growing meanwhile). In 2012: Federal Code: 75000 pages, Tax Code: 72000 pages. The Criminalization of Everyday Life [LINK] [LINK] John Stossel's Illegal Everything [this video] John Stossel -