WiFi Hotspots Elude RIAA Dragnet

mblase writes "A CNET News article discusses a problem the RIAA is having with its copyright enforcement strategy: public wireless hot spots. Normally, the RIAA notifies the ISP when a user is found to be violating their copyrights, but in this case, the ISP is powerless to do anything. Key quote: '...unless the administrator keeps detailed logs of everybody's account use - which is not required by law - she may well not know who was swapping files.' I wonder how long it will be before those detailed logs ARE required by law?"

I wouldn't worry

[I Want GNU!]

I'm sure Senator Hollings will pass a bill that bans WiFi access, in order to solve this problem of cataclysmic proportions.

Them WiFi Chalkers

[inertia187]

About them WiFi Chalkers,
ain't they fun to see?
Goin' all around,
chalkin' them AP!
Them resourceful Chalkers,
what a useful crowd.
Showin' all the world,
where the net's allowed.
Look at all them WiFi Chalkers,
demon drivin' through.
AirPort, D-Link, and LinkSys,
WEP passphrases too!
How to be a WiFi Chalker,
it's fun if you know how.
Gitcha mobile WiFi kit,
and stumble on them now.

WEP

[quinkin]

Ah WEP - the greatest filesharing invention of all time.

Easy configuration? Now you don't even need to be aware that you wanted to share your files. :)

Q.

RIAA Responds

[Synesthesiatic]

The RIAA has brought suit against the descendents of Guglielmo Marconi for his invention, known as radio.

"Using a special radio receiver, a listener, or 'criminal', can listen to copywrited music for free," said Hilary Rosen, of the RIAA. "Some special units even have the ability record. All without one cent going to us, the true owners of the material."

Rosen added that the recent use of public WiFi radio-based internet to evade prosecution for file sharing was the last straw.

"This Marconi guy's got a lot to answer for. This 'radio' thing clearly has only ilicit uses."

Rosen also complained that her wallet wasn't big enough for all her fifties, and her diamond pants were too tight.

Re:logging your wifi is a good idea...

[Anonymous Coward]

Thats it. If everyone is so obsessed with kiddie porn that all they do is sit around day after day and work out how every new technological innovation can get them more kiddie porn, I'm going over to the park and joining that hermit who's living in a treehouse.

Whats the point of technology if everyone is going to either a) pervert everything to perverted ends, from which immediately follows b) fight to stop technological advances because they have been perverted to perverted ends?

At this rate, the winning side will either turn us all into horse-and-buggy Ammonites (wait, someone might brand a slightly suggestive image on the horse. You're going to have to get out and push), or Fox will have to fight against the all-porn-all-the-time-jammers to get their reality shows broadcast on TV.

RIAA Keeps Us Safe This Summer

[heli0]

Recording Artists Safety Guide To The Beach [cosmo7.com]

Excellent

[jeffkjo1]

So now all I have to do is setup a Wireless basestation with anonymous acces in my house and I can claim that I don't know who was downloading music from my internet connection.
The ultimate legal shield!

Re:Dynamic IP's Extra

[Junior J. Junior III]

My logs are copyrighted, and if the RIAA wants to see them, they have to agree to an EULA stating that they won't sue me or anyone named in the logs, and on top of that they must also pay $25 for a copy of the log on CD, which they are not allowed to copy, distribute, or share.

Re:Copying is not theft

[ch-chuck]

Try this: Go to your local theatre. Right after the movie starts, ask the owners if there are any empty seats left. If so, ask them if you can go in and watch the movie for free. Tell them your theory that you weren't going to pay to get in anyway, and they aren't losing anything by letting you in. Report the results back here to /.

For even better effect, take a movie camera. Tell them that recording the movie won't cost them a cent.

Wi-fi should be banned

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a perfect example of why the government needs to take action against this menace against our society. Wi-fi breeds lawlessness in young people. Studies have shown that music piracy functions as a "gateway crime," leading teens to experiment with more serious crimes such as burglary and drug use. Sometimes terrorists even use Wi-fi in support of their unspeakable crimes. We must stop the wi-fi criminals today.

Re:What account?

[Cipster]

I'd go for PrettyKitty. Maybe it's a chick and has accidentaly left some home made porn on her shared folders.

Yeah that's it

[cubicledrone]

The |337 ones, running from Starbucks to Starbucks, desperately trying to download the last 15 minutes of "Legally Blonde 2" ...all so they can save the cost of a medium pizza.

Re:MAC adress

[NotQuiteReal]

Ok, I call dibs on 00:00:00:00:00:01

Re:Dynamic IP's Extra

[TrackDaddy]

My god, you are right! We have to alert our leaders... All payphones must be eliminated. I'll call the office of homeland security. Everybody else, call your local phone company and encourage them to imediatly disable every payphone in the country. Think of the children!

Re:Affirmitive Action for pronouns

[Cyno01]

Before their first contact with humans, the hermats used a combination of she/he/it(try prononcing it as written, without the slashes;)), but none of the starfleet captains couldn't keep a straight face about it.

Re:Yeah that's it

[foniksonik]

Wasn't that the plot of that movie Hackers?