Illegal Downloaders Face Uk Ban

[Stabbo-Lad]

Just found this on the BBC website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7240234.stm

Now I'm not knowledgeable about such things, so to those of you who are - is this technologically possible and if so, why is it not being used for a more worthwhile cause like catching downloaders of child pornography?

Is it just the UK government jumping on the IPR bandwagon or looking for an excuse to introduce an Internet License Fee to further burden to UK taxpayer?

SL.

[Phil Conners]

Essentially it seems like the UK government is about to let an industrial lobbyorganization decide which information users have access to through the Internet.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Phil Conners

[dsys]

is this technologically possible

It's possible but not very effective/efficient.

why is it not being used for a more worthwhile cause like catching downloaders of child pornography?

It is to some extent when courts grant warrents on a case by case basis, as for other agencies well who knows.

Is it just the UK government jumping on the IPR bandwagon

Guess from that, you are for illegal downloads. In general I am for IPR law. If i produce something you're dam sure I want my slice of it and I want to control it as well.

There are wider issues of privacy here. Do I want somebody snooping on my internet traffic? Do I want the government in the UK telling me that "its because of terrorist, child porn users ... etc." In the end I ask myself "Is this going to improve the net, make it "safer" or more collaberative?" I would have to say no I dont think so - the benefits outweigh the drawbacks in this case.

There is another argument against it. The net is not at fault human nature is. The government cant intercept my snail mail or enter my house without probable cause, why should they be able to read my e-mail or sniff my packet.

introduce an Internet License Fee to further burden to UK taxpayer

Don't think internet access compare to access to the BBC somehow.

The Thai angle - Could it happen here.

Sure why not, but it happens more frequently in the USA, Japan and Korea. Not to mention China. I think for it to happen here there would need to be a huge perceived "benefit" for somebody to implement the change. What could be the driver for this - well just look at the amount of pirate software/dvd's/music available. I guess most of it from international download sites. Guess it would just take a few "calls" to the minister of technology/internet for those concerned to get the ball rolling here.

Edited February 13, 2008 by dsys

[Crushdepth]

This is a complete waste of time. People and software makers will just start routinely encrypting their sites/connections and then ISPs won't be able to see what the hel_l they are doing. The entertainment industry cannot win, sooner or later they are just going to have to start offering content at a price everyone can afford to have lots of.

[dsys]

This is a complete waste of time. People and software makers will just start routinely encrypting their sites/connections and then ISPs won't be able to see what the hel_l they are doing. The entertainment industry cannot win, sooner or later they are just going to have to start offering content at a price everyone can afford to have lots of.

I had thought of that angle as well, however, due to some act I can't remember right now if the UK government requests a cryptographic key from you - you have to hand it over or face up to 10(i think) years in prison. Guess they would just pull that out and the websites/users would hand over the keys.

[Plus]

The ISPs are not in the position to monitor traffic for illegal downloads, I believe. Someone said they had no more rights to it than post office to open all your envelopes.

And we are not talking about banning certain sites, we are talking about checking if the torrent you downloading is not the latest Linux distro, or Open Office, or even a movie trailer.

How are they supposed to filter the traffic? Are they going to add thousands of new torrents everyday to their filters and analize wether to allow or ban them?

[dsys]

Just thinking about it a bit more - this would be against the EU Electronic commerce directive - which states along the lines:

"Member states must not impose a general directive to monitor internet traffic"

Cant find the reference for it though, didnt take it down.

http://www.out-law.com/page-431

Edited February 13, 2008 by dsys

[Stabbo-Lad]

is this technologically possible

It's possible but not very effective/efficient.

why is it not being used for a more worthwhile cause like catching downloaders of child pornography?

It is to some extent when courts grant warrents on a case by case basis, as for other agencies well who knows.

Is it just the UK government jumping on the IPR bandwagon

Guess from that, you are for illegal downloads. In general I am for IPR law. If i produce something you're dam sure I want my slice of it and I want to control it as well.

There are wider issues of privacy here. Do I want somebody snooping on my internet traffic? Do I want the government in the UK telling me that "its because of terrorist, child porn users ... etc." In the end I ask myself "Is this going to improve the net, make it "safer" or more collaberative?" I would have to say no I dont think so - the benefits outweigh the drawbacks in this case.

There is another argument against it. The net is not at fault human nature is. The government cant intercept my snail mail or enter my house without probable cause, why should they be able to read my e-mail or sniff my packet.

introduce an Internet License Fee to further burden to UK taxpayer

Don't think internet access compare to access to the BBC somehow.

The Thai angle - Could it happen here.

Sure why not, but it happens more frequently in the USA, Japan and Korea. Not to mention China. I think for it to happen here there would need to be a huge perceived "benefit" for somebody to implement the change. What could be the driver for this - well just look at the amount of pirate software/dvd's/music available. I guess most of it from international download sites. Guess it would just take a few "calls" to the minister of technology/internet for those concerned to get the ball rolling here.

Am I for illegal downloads? No comment officer

But living in Thailand its hard not to infringe on IPR at some time, never bought a fake Nike T shirt or Camel shorts from the market? or the latest dvd from Panthip? or a pair of dodgy Ray-Bans from the beach vendor? etc, etc, etc.

I certainly agree with you about wanting my cut if I was the producer of such material, I'd be more than a little pee-ed off to think someone was getting my product for free. But while ever people make these things available for free on the net i will continue to take advantage of it. Hypocrite or not.

SL.

[RKASA]

Lets see to make it really work everyone must set in front of a web cam while on line and sign in with a finger print reader. Hay! then MS can charge you by the minute for each user account on your PC as well, no wait your software will be online anyway just put you debt card in the reader after your finger print is OK' ed  by bill.