Can A Number Be Illegal?

Can A Number Be Illegal?


You might no think too much about numbers as you sit and use your computer, but the underpinnings of software and images are based on them — and that means, in theory, a string of numerical characters can in fact be illegal.

Imagine a piece of dodgy software or an illegal image: they’re all characterised, at their heart, by a massive chain of binary numbers. This video, by the guys over at Numberphile, dives into how and why numbers can contravene the law — and it turns out that it’s a far more murky and complex world than you might’ve expected. [Numperphile]


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