Opinions - File Sharing and ACS Law

mcclunyboy

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Hi,

Pretty much a UK based story but relevant for all file sharers.

At the minute in the UK the govt is trying to stop file sharing, they just cant figure out how. They don't want to disconnect them but they do want to stop them. It seems likely when the Digital Britain bill is passed file sharers will get a series of warnings before being cut off.

SEPERATE to this is a money making scam by a Law firm who gain high court orders to monitor various seeds and get address from ISP's relating to an IP address...if someone has been uploading a lot in these feeds they are sent a letter. You must either pay £500 or go to court. most people pay out of fear but as yet none have reached court.

Anyone got an opinion on file sharing and the means govt's are using to try and stop it?

My opinon - govts need to be careful...I don't want the internet to be monitored, I don't want the internet to be censored etc etc
 
People have been sharing since recordable media first came on the scene, this bunch of twa!s just wants total control over everybody, sh!t, you'll have to ask permission to go to the bog next!:rolleyes::mad:
 
we should quote you in parliament...
 
Does that not imply the "Guilty without being able to prove innocence" theory?

Case in point, a wireless network that has been compromised.
 
Does that not imply the "Guilty without being able to prove innocence" theory?

Case in point, a wireless network that has been compromised.

a few people have argued this without a definite result.. I also heard a 80 year old was accused of sharing Porn movies (was let off).

The Digital Britain Bill will make everyone responsible for their own network. If it is comprimised it is your own fault. Again this was being contested by a Pub Landlord who was accused of sharing.
 
What about those bands that nowadays rely on file sharing to get noticed?:rolleyes:
 
The problem is, the people passing these laws do not understand the technology behind it. Furthermore, they do not understand the implications that can arise from passing such laws. Guilty without being able to prove innocence is very accurate in describing the scenarios that will come to pass from this. It's just like the RIAA lawsuits from the past few years, the people being sued, without any way to prove or disprove that they downloaded the files themselves, either had to settle with the RIAA for thousands of dollars, or pay thousands of dollars in legal fees with the hope of winning. It was a scam, nothing more.

What other business gets away from suing their customers? Will McDonald's sue me for taking a few extra napkins or sharing my soft drink with a friend next, taking advantage of the free refills? It's getting ridiculous.
 
A couple of points:

1) File sharing is not illegal, sharing copyright content is.
2) Using P2P software is not illegal, using it for copyright content is.
3) IP addresses and even MAC address can be spoofed so you can't identify the person responsible.
4) Where there's a way there's a way around it (or will be)

They need to really understand this before they take any steps.
 
Just a thought, but how would you control locations where there is public access to a hot spot. (im thinking some coffee shops) If a law is passed, those places would basically have to shut down that aspect of their business for fear of being sued.

Laws in my opinion are only as good as the ability to reasonably enforce them. There is currently no way to do that with this law.

It would be the equal to a car racing league (like formula 1) placing a weight limit on cars of say, 450kg. but having a scale that only measures to the nearest 50kg. (exaggerated example of course)
 
The proposed laws are obviously an attempt to "do somthing" about a percieved problem. Governments at all levels are very good at passing such laws. The problems arise on the practical side...how do you enforce it. Generally, such stupid knee jerk laws are unenforceable or they would require so much time and effort by the enforcement personnel as to make any fines recovered a loss to the government.

There are two such laws that come to mind that the City Council in Toronto passed in the last few years. The first is that a diesel truck can't be left idleing on a residential street for more than five minutes. A police constable must come and time the offence. Generally by the time an overworked PC gets there, the truck is long gone. The second is the tobacco restrictions the city passed. There is nothing in Canadian law that allows a municipality to make any law concerning tobacco. Many summonses have been issued. Those that actually make it court are withdrawn by the city.
 
My opinon - govts need to be careful...I don't want the internet to be monitored, I don't want the internet to be censored etc etc

it's inevitable boy. global government is also inevitable. the only thing government officials get off on is the ability to capture people that are breaking the law. if people didn't break the law, government would have no power.


by the way everyone, WHAT is file sharing? like a NAPSTER type thing? or a PIRATEBAY type thing?
 
it's inevitable boy. global government is also inevitable. the only thing government officials get off on is the ability to capture people that are breaking the law. if people didn't break the law, government would have no power.


by the way everyone, WHAT is file sharing? like a NAPSTER type thing? or a PIRATEBAY type thing?

When I started this thread - I should have clarified this - When I use the term "File Sharing" I meant the sharing of copyrighted material.

I expect Bittorrent to become illegal soon in the UK, at least they'll know your using it if your uploading. My advice, for the mean time using Rapideshare - quicker than Bittorrent because it uses HTTP, you have to pay a small fee...I don't know why it hasn't been shut down they centrally host the files themselves too (i am told).
 
piratebay is illegal. bit torrent is used to deocde the files that are downloaded from that site.

i'm sure the government here is monitoring that, but they obviously aren't overly concerened with it at the moment, otherwise it would not exist.
 
Bittorrent is a protocol to allow you to download/upload using less system resources than normal. All done through a swarm of seeds and peers...I'm sure wikipedia has it...

Pirate bay wasn't truly illegal, not in the sense napster was..They didn't centrally host the files...they linked to the servers which did...it was a witch hunt, that's why they only got suspended sentences -
 
What about those bands that nowadays rely on file sharing to get noticed?:rolleyes:

Also, should it be illegal to take the "lazy route" and download music from an album you have on vinyl?
 
if your simply converting from vinyl to digital on your PC it is not illegal...it becomes illegal when you share it with someone else
 
I have no problem with musicians and others who wish to share their work and allow people to download it.

I do have a problem with people who make money from the work of others. Music downloaders who charge fees for the work of others (performers, composers, producers et al) but don't pay royalties to the owners of the copyright.

When there is no more music because everyone has gone broke, then what do we do?
 
So, is it the uploading that's illegal? Isn't the downloading part much the same as "resetting"?

When you think about it, there really isn't too much need to download music these days. Anyone with a Facebook account can create a playlist that they can listen to anytime. Couple this with using your mobile phone to access facebook and hey presto, instant mp3 player! Most artists have no problem with this.

Statsman, there will always be music. The best musicians do not do it for the money, it's an art form. I beieve anyone who is that talented should be paid for their work, if they want to let you download their music for a small fee and cut out the middle man, all the better, more money for them, less cost to us.
 
When there is no more music because everyone has gone broke, then what do we do?

statsman,

if you want to see this horrible practice in action, review any business practice that is being offered in the world for FREE. it shouldn't be. government is great at it..for example, offering free tax filing. less business for accountants.

direct buy from manufacturers - say goodbye to retailer's life support

the ability to download movies off the internet for free? - who needs rental stores anymore, or better yet, RED BOX.



if we weren't so stupid as a society, we wouldn't bite on this crap even though it looks SOOOOO good. if we knew any better, we would say to ourselves - keep the standard of living UP! there are no freebies! but the government just insists on ruling with an iron hand and promoting the laziness of it's subjects. too bad.
 
So, is it the uploading that's illegal? Isn't the downloading part much the same as "resetting"?

Technically speaking it's the distribution of copyright material that is illegal and you can only distribute if you share it or upload it to other people etc. so you could argue in a way downloading is not illegal.....but if your using P2P software by default you always upload (or seed) as you download and even if you don't seed (or leach)........but it will still be viewed as illegal because you essentially have a copy of copyright material.

Steaming on the other hand......well again depends on the interpretation of the law but either way lawyers will always find a way to nail you.

Basically if you want to 100% clean don't do it.....simple :)

Oh and an (maybe) interesting one for you, some clients at work wanted me to download a YouTube video and edit it so their faces were substituted for the Bee Gee's and I refused as we did not have the original copyright owners permission to do that but their response was but it's on YouTube so that's fine, it's in the pubic domain erm no it is not fine it actually breaches the term of use of YouTube :rolleyes:
 

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