What's to minimize, when the only potential victim of his actions said that were not harmed (and indeed they were not)?

What conflation? Do you think criminal charges for violating a website's terms are not ridiculous? Do you use adblock?

If you think democratic forces in the US are still working properly, I can see why you'd find realism to be melodramatic.

And finally, if you think powerful enemies in the US amount to nothing, you are again extremely naive.

In any case let's hope you aren't caught using adblock and violating a website's terms and being completely financially ruined in the pretrial stages of a frivolous prosecution.