U.S. Justice Department Official Says Writing Code Without Bad Intent 'Not a Crime'

A U.S. Justice Department official recently stated that writing code with the intention of aiding or maliciously harming individuals or systems is not considered a crime, as long as there is no bad intent behind the creation of the software or program. This position highlights the distinction between the act of coding itself and the motivations that drive a programmer's work. The official emphasized that without malicious intent, the mere act of coding does not automatically fall under criminal activity, thereby clarifying the legal boundaries surrounding programming practices. source: https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/08/21/u-s-justice-department-official-says-writing-code-without-bad-intent-not-a-crime