Ashby: Blame for library disruption belongs on hackers

While my heart goes out to our citizens who depend on libraries for their internet access, I agree with the state libraries’ decision not to pay the ransom (“Libraries’ computer outage should be fixed by now”).

Continuing to pay ransoms to hackers who disrupt our systems, both public and private, simply encourages more hacking. When it involves public computers, taxpayer money would need to be used. When it is private companies, they increase all the prices we pay for their products to pay these crooks.

We all suffer either way. Please place the blame for your suffering where it truly belongs — with the hackers. The libraries are doing the responsible thing by rebuilding the system rather than allowing the hackers to profit, and I commend that move.

Ruth Ashby

Lincoln

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.