FTC To Take a Second Look at P2P

BlueMerle writes to mention that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has asked the FTC to take another look into the world of peer-to-peer file sharing. This time around however the inquiry has nothing to do with copyright. "But a USPTO report earlier this year stirred up the issue again by claiming that P2P installs could adversely affect national security when they made confidential government information available. This has already happened several times, as the Oversight Committee learned in July when it held hearings on the USPTO report and its findings. At that hearing, representatives were also shown real-time P2P search data. While most of the searches were for porn, movies, and music, the committee noted a surprisingly number of searches for private financial information."

Re:Why is P2P always to blame?

[Technician]

Making confidential information available is a breach of security no matter what protocol you use to distribute it.

Many people simply don't read the manual. They go "Oh, goody, freebies" and point the software at their My Documents folder. Later they wonder why someone else is using their credit card info. Have you ever saved a confirmation screenshot for an online purchase? Does it include your shipping info, full name and credit card details? This oops in security is the focus of the article.

The I didn't upload my credit card details to face book is not the issue. The issue is you were stupid (lots who don't read the manual) and pointed the software to the My Documents folder along with tax returns, credit card and banking info.

Re:Just wonderful.

[cayenne8]

"While Technician makes a very valid point, I suspect a major impetus for this is going to turn out to be RIAA lobbying. After all it's OK to be a bastard as long as it's a matter of national security.

There is a major attitude about foreign military and industrial espionage. This is the kind of legislation that has legs. It's got both fear and money on it."

Yup...if copyright won't get rid of P2P or other potentially corporate threatening technology, lets use the good old standby of 'national security'.

I heard someone say it before...'national security' and 'child porn' are the keys to the constitution. Just throw one or both of those in your argument for legislating more rights and privliges away, and you're golden.