Verizon Must Reveal Internet Song Swapper

[Julio Franco]

A few readers have sent this over showing their extreme concern on the consequences this decision could have over everyone’s internet privacy rights. While the RIAA has been following closely all P2P networks, we had also heard of this individual user approach, instead of just shutting down the networks alone, any of us could be the victims. I’m not happy either with this decision...

Recording companies won a victory in their fight against online piracy on Tuesday when a U.S. court ordered Verizon Communications to turn over the name of a customer suspected of downloading more than 600 songs in one day over the Internet.

U.S. District Judge John Bates said Verizon must cooperate with recording industry efforts to track down online song swappers, rejecting the telecommunications giant's assertion that such a move would violate customer privacy and turn it into an online copyright cop.

Verizon said it would appeal the decision.

The case could set an important precedent as the recording industry asks schools, businesses and Internet providers to help them track down individuals who they believe are cutting into CD sales by trading digital songs through "peer to peer" services like Kazaa.

 

[Phantasm66]

ouch! 1984! I DON'T like that one bit! :evil:

Although I seriously doubt that every last P2P user on the planet is going to be prosecuted (courts are already tied up with petty theft, soft drugs possessions, parking offences, etc...) but it could happen randomly to some poor sod who is made an example of, and it COULD BE YOU!

What someone needs to developed is a plug in for Kazaa that makes it impossible to trace your IP address, and thusly your service provider. Mind you, my service provider seem to be such a bunch of dumbasses that even if you even gave my IP address used at the time, they wouldn't be able to tell you who I was.

This P2P thing is really becomming a witchhunt, and some of the things happening seem to be quite in violation of people's rights.

Maybe its time some people formed a P2P pressure group. Hey that's not a bad idea (except that someone else has probably already thought about it....)

 

[burtman007]

And how would the RIAA know that this person was downloading songs? What if it was install files for software packages numerous pictures from a family member?

My point is that they wouldn't know unless they are doing some sort of packet-sniffing and saw that those downloads were destined for P2P ports. Does that make anyone else uncomfortable? When do they start sniffing leased lines (T1, Frame-Relay, Business DSL)? I'm sure corporate America would love to just roll over and allow the RIAA to do anything from read e-mails to reading financials. Yeah, right.

Pardon the pessimism above, but the RIAA is starting to get a little out of hand if you ask me.

 

[StormBringer]

They have been a little out of hand for a while now. Bills that would legalize hacking practices "for them" and other such things. It is also believed that RIAA is in some way responsible for several DoS attacks on P2P networks over the past year or so. Out of hand? It goes way beyond that. 1984 is an understatement.

 

[Phantasm66]

I am sure that the RIAA are behind the problems that DALnet has been experiencing... Anyone tried to connect to that IRC network recently? Good luck....

 

[Hereweegoagain]

Big Brother watching

I for one are going to contact Verizon and tell them hang in there.
(they are my provider)

I will also write my Senetor and Congress Rep. and tell them not to support any such actions or laws they may have to decide on.

I am not one that downloads music, but give these guys an inch, and what is next?

Our privacy is a right, and our rights are slowly being eaten away.

Talking about this is good, but if we all take action and speak out to our Reps that WE vote in, WE can stop this crazy thinking.

I learned that one letter from a Reps district, represents 10,000 people here in calif.

Thanks for hearing me out.