Keys is charged with giving the hacking group Anonymous the log-in credentials to the computer system of The Tribune Co.

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And in what may be a downside for some potential users, all chatters must log in using Twitter, Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn, and their full names are transparent in the system.

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To log into the system, players just wave their hands in front of the screen.

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Once connected to an IRC, the creator of the custom channel or his robot program can download the victim's files, passwords, log-in data, operating system preferences and other personal information -- including stored credit-card numbers.

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In court on Wednesday, a lawyer for the girl's father claimed Facebook's open registration system allowed children to log-in and warned that it could put them at risk from paedophiles.

BBC: Teenage girl's father launches Facebook court challenge