The intent is immaterial if the actions are not against the law.
If accessing published information (and incrementing a number in an url cannot be considered breaking in ...) is against the law, there is something terribly wrong with the law.
That said if he tried to use the data to extort money from AT&T that would of course be a criminal offense (even if the "intent" was robinhoodian).
To illustrate with an analogy:
If someone takes a picture of a hapless drunk girl dancing topless in a bar (AT&T), that is not criminal.
If this person approaches the girl and asks for money to delete the incriminating pictures, that is extortion.
If the person sells the picture to an interested third party, this might constitute the case for a civil lawsuit (see the texxxan case...)
In any case no special laws are needed for judging behaviour in the virtual world.
If accessing published information (and incrementing a number in an url cannot be considered breaking in ...) is against the law, there is something terribly wrong with the law.
That said if he tried to use the data to extort money from AT&T that would of course be a criminal offense (even if the "intent" was robinhoodian).
To illustrate with an analogy: If someone takes a picture of a hapless drunk girl dancing topless in a bar (AT&T), that is not criminal. If this person approaches the girl and asks for money to delete the incriminating pictures, that is extortion. If the person sells the picture to an interested third party, this might constitute the case for a civil lawsuit (see the texxxan case...)
In any case no special laws are needed for judging behaviour in the virtual world.