To Media Companies, BitTorrent Implies Guilt 381
kripkenstein writes "The big media companies immediately assume you are guilty by your mere presence on a BitTorrent swarm, an investigation by a university security worker reveals. Turns out companies like BayTSP (which the media companies employ) will send shutdown notices to ISPs without any evidence of copyright infringment; all they feel they need is an indication that you are reported by the tracker to be in the swarm." From the post: "For my investigation, I wrote a very simple BitTorrent client. My client sent a request to the tracker, and generally acted like a normal Bittorrent client up to sharing files. The client refused to accept downloads of, or upload copyrighted content. It obeyed the law... With just this, completely legal, BitTorrent client, I was able to get notices from BayTSP. To put this in to perspective, if BayTSP were trying to bust me for doing drugs, it'd be like getting arrested because I was hanging out with some dealers, but they never saw me using, buying, or selling any drugs."
Come on... (Score:4, Insightful)
Absolutely (Score:2, Insightful)
Sure, you are going to get released most of the time. But it is going to be a significant hassle for you. You got to choose that course when you chose your dealing and using friends.
I believe the same is applicable to BitTorrent.
Just like VCRs (Score:5, Insightful)
It is more like (Score:5, Insightful)
Compare to legitimate drug dealers? (Score:5, Insightful)
If I use my PC to connect to a BitTorrent tracker that offers legitimate free software, free media, and fair-use parody media, I still get a notice. This is as if I were to get arrested for hanging around outside a legitimate drug dealer such as CVS [wikipedia.org] or Walgreens [wikipedia.org] or Rite Aid [wikipedia.org].
more like what a cop told me (Score:3, Insightful)
Reminds me of the time i was pulled over, handcuffed, searched, and my car ripped apart looking for drugs because (as the cop said) "I was in the wrong part of town".
Not a fair comparison (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, if you want a fair comparison, this would be like finding a notice board marked "people who buy/sell drugs", copying all the names off it, and putting yours on. Now, this isn't something you should be locked up for, but I think it's reasonable for the police to pop around and ask a few questions.
This kind of technical fiddling really doesn't help anyone, although I'm sure it helps you feel clever.
Er (Score:4, Insightful)
Outside of this application, a BitTorrent client designed to not do anything BitTorrent was designed to do except connect to a torrent, how many other people connect to torrents only not to (attempt to) download/upload what's on them?
So, the message here is: don't try to download copyrighted stuff and you won't get sued for downloading copyrighted stuff.
OB Terrorist reference (Score:5, Insightful)
Hmmph - sounds like you're on the side of the Terrorists!
There once was a crazy ass country that had laws about "innocent until proven guilty", but in these Terroristic times it's just so much safer to fall back on "Suspicion of being under suspicion."
To the general public... (Score:4, Insightful)
...Media Companies imply greed and incompetence.
Guilt by association (Score:5, Insightful)
Ditto for movies, only this time the industry is rehashing old TV shows, old movies and dusting off hackneyed plots that wouldn't see the light of day when they made fewer movies. Kind of like you see what happens to sports leagues with uncontrolled expansion. The more you try to produce in such endeavours, the closer you move to mediocrity.
So their sales suffer. It must be the web's fault. Like an old has-been blaming the new kid on the block, they whine and complain, and in this case lobby. Next, they will be demanding a tithe if you own a computer.
After all, the problem couldn't be with their product.
The important part is the proof! (Score:5, Insightful)
This could, in theory, be introduced as evidence in a case and might be enough to shoot down their allegations of copyright infringement. I'd say that THAT is pretty important, wouldn't you?
Here's to hoping that it screws up a few of their copyright infringement lawsuits!
And? (Score:4, Insightful)
For dog's sake don't support the eff either. http://www.eff.org/ [eff.org] You wouldn't want to be marginalized as a zealot, fanatic or crackpot.
[\rant]
Re:The important part is the proof! (Score:2, Insightful)
But ya, important in a sense that we know it's proof, but I would be very interested in seeing how it might actually help someone - or if it even would.
Re:Absolutely (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Compare to legitimate drug dealers? (Score:4, Insightful)
What I _think_ he is claiming is that if connects to a swarm that is downloading an illegal file, but doesn't actually downlaod or upload anything, he still gets a notice.
While I understand that he may have a technical argument to avoid conviction, I don't think this means you have much of a chance for getting caught if you share a legitimate file.
I'd say his analogy that it's akin to hanging out with drug dealers isn not apt. It's more like hanging around on street corners intentionally taking something that looks like money for something that looks like drugs and complaining that you got arrested.
Again, I might be missing something.
That's why I pick and choose the laws I obey. (Score:4, Insightful)
Can't let my 18-year-old son have a beer with dinner? Fuck you, bust me.
Can't trade DVDs in person with my friends? Fuck you, bust me.
Government using misleading statistics to incite fear (and then over reaching legislature) for issues like drunk driving and terrorism? I simply make misleading statements to police when given the opportunity. Alas, it isn't often I get that chance since I moved out of the city.
I can't imagine I'm the only freak like this.
Re:It is more like (Score:4, Insightful)
Okay, I just came up a better analogy that doesn't cross the "copyright infringement/theft line." This is like going to a movie theater and asking an usher if he can hold your camcorder pointed at the screen while you go to the concession stand. Even if there is no tape in the camcorder (such as this guy's specially written client) you're still likely to get in trouble, and at least lose the camcorder (Like this guy's ISP reportedly responding to the take-down notice.) I wouldn't expect anything else in this situation... the online world is no longer some lawless frontier untouchable by the hands of the real world wielders of power (And I mean lawless in the dramatic Old West as represented by Hollywood way, not the lawlessness of a near future post-apocalyptic manner.)
Re:Absolutely (Score:2, Insightful)
Another analogy. Criminals use guns. Therefore, we should arrest anybody who uses guns. First stop, police shooting range.
Re:That's why I pick and choose the laws I obey. (Score:3, Insightful)
Can't let my 18-year-old son have a beer with dinner? Fuck you, bust me.
One of my pet peeves. My kids have been allowed to drink wine with dinner since they were little. The state can shove their laws right up their collective...well, you know. The nanny state is getting worse by the minute, prodded along by big business like the MPAA, RIAA, etc, etc, and trying to control everything we do. Well, I have news for them:
They seem to have forgotten about that in the past 200 years. Of course, it's not just a right, but a duty to get a new government, according to the Founders:
Unfortunately, too many people are too concerned about who is going to win on American Idol and just ignore the long train of abuses. Bread and circueses....
Not missing anything (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It is more like (Score:1, Insightful)
The camcorder in the theatre is a perfect example. There's no law against having a components of a device capable of recording media in a venue for the presentation of movies, but you'd still probably forfeit your camera. What they're supposed to do is check to see if you've recorded anything and give your camera back since they only own the recordings you've made that violate their copyrights. Instead they'll probably just confiscate (steal) your camera and ban you from that venue.
Re:The important part is the proof! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Reminds me of .. (Score:4, Insightful)
If they can't prove that the content is theirs, they have no business sending a C&D.
Similarly, if I claim a television in your home is actually mine, I have to be able to prove through serial number, receipt, etc., that the television is, in fact, mine.
It is a trivial exercise to determine whether the content is legit or not. md5sum? Proprietary compression algorithm? Tough shit, take what evidence you have and get a warrant.
The whole C&D thing is crap. It sets up copyright holders as vigilantes with next to zero accountability for abusing their power.
Re:Invalid metaphor (Score:3, Insightful)
This really is like approaching a drug dealer with a cop in plain view, pretending to buy something, then just claiming you were there to hang out.
Re:The important part is the proof! (Score:2, Insightful)
"While I believe that explaining bittorrent is complicated, surely understanding of the protocol is prerequisite to a judge making a decision in any of these cases."
Unfortunately, the judge decides whether they understand the protocol, and may feel that the internet is a series of tubes.
Re:Just like VCRs (Score:4, Insightful)
Corrected it for you.
Same as the VCR: timeshifting. The damn cable box didn't change the channel when the TiVo told it to, so the only options to catch all episodes in order is either to skip the rest of the season and get the DVD or download someone else's copy. Either way, the advertisers are going to miss out on their impressions.
Did people hesitate borrowing VHS tapes of the previous night's TV they'd missed? Have friends record each other's scheduling conflicts?
IMO, as long as there was a good-faith effort or intent to watch or record the broadcast yourself, downloading it within the week shouldn't be illegal.
Re:The important part is the proof! (Score:3, Insightful)
Assumptions aren't proof.
Assumptions aren't even EVIDENCE.
Re:The important part is the proof! (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, especially given the gigabytes of files found on the user's hard drive.
For that matter, one would think that a simple check of the ISPs records regarding bandwidth utilization would disprove this argument pretty easily.
Re:That's why I pick and choose the laws I obey. (Score:5, Insightful)
While I don't see the need to feed a 12 year old whiskey and vodka, I also see no problem with said same 12 year old partaking in a champaign toast, a sip of wine, or with an 18 year old drinking anything they like. Got a problem with that? Raise the age of service to 21 and I'll raise my "no problem age" commensurately.
You are not my kids' parent. I am.
My kids will be allowed to drink with the toast at age 12. That is my decision as a parent.
At age 16 I will allow a glass of wine with dinner. That is my decision as a parent.
At 18 a beer after working outside in the sun. That is my decision as a parent.
Their education on DUI will be complete and thorough, the penalties if I catch them severe (they _will_ prefer jail time if there ever is a second time). That is my decision as a parent.
Their parties sober will be sober (I'll even spring for the "non" alcoholic beer keg). These are my decisions as a parent.
-nB
Re:That's why I pick and choose the laws I obey. (Score:2, Insightful)
The police already choose which laws to enforce. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Invalid metaphor (Score:4, Insightful)
Yet the very people who sent him the notices had agents also joined to that swarm. Applying your suggested standard would mean they were breaking the law. (actually that case is arguable, since sending false DMCA takedown notices is a violation in the DCMA too)
I could easily see the experimenter claiming he was doing exactly the same thing as BayTSP, collecting data on BitTorrent swarms without actually sharing files. I suggest that he could even offer the data collected for sale. Say like (pinkie to smirked lips) $1 Million Dollars per IP address to establish his Bono Fides.