Guy locked-up forever for forgetting his password.

[account_inactive]

I'm aware. But you're ignoring the search terms generally associated with child pornography. Listen, I'm probably one of the biggest advocates for increased privacy here but this guy is dodgy.

How does anyone know if the search terms were entered by him?  The vast, vast majority of home PCs are very insecure, and it easy to imagine someone, anyone, gaining access to the guy's apartment and then doing "who knows what?!"  In fact, unless you've encrypted your entire hard drive, it would take a knowledgeable person only a few minutes to gain access to your PC, just by booting off a USB thumb drive and then running a Windows password crack program.  As most people's passwords use simple names, it would only take a few minutes to gain access; if not, some key reader hardware could be easily installed to capture their password for later retrieval.

Point is that it is very easy to frame someone for possessing child pornography, and for that matter, installing malware or botnets that can be used later on to email bomb threats or to use as proxies for other illegal activities and/or downloads.  Likewise, it is possible to have a self-uninstall mechanism on these types of malware, so that they uninstall themselves, leaving no trace whatsoever of their existence.

Again, you're talking to someone interested in that kind of thing. From the article, it suggests he wasn't using Windows so your point about Windows USB cracking programs is right out the window. It could be possible that the terms weren't entered by him, but it's extremely unlikely and the Feds can hold him under probable cause. Quite rightfully so, too.

Likewise, it is possible to have a self-uninstall mechanism on these types of malware, so that they uninstall themselves, leaving no trace whatsoever of their existence.

That's an excellent excuse for paedophiles to use when caught. "It was a virus!"

Aye, alright mate.