Mandelson vows to cut off serial Web pirates

[Diestl]

The point is that the milkman who maybe boinking your wife whilst you are busy contracting can drop in encrypted with random password file named "ChldPron.dat", then drop a tip to police and they might be tempted to do you with that law that easily allows them to.

Or they can threaten you with it and make you do other stuff.

So they would go to all this trouble because I downloaded a few episodes of West Wing!?

[AtW]

So they would go to all this trouble because I downloaded a few episodes of West Wing!?

I don't know if they would, but they certainly can lock you up easily under that very wrong encryption law.

[Diestl]

I don't know if they would, but they certainly can lock you up easily under that very wrong encryption law.

Yeah but as Threaded says the key changes regularly and you never get to know it.
Sorted!

[Sysman]

This has not just been about serial downloaders etc It has always been the long term goal of this most authoritative government of either taxing, licencing and thereby controlling what is being allowed on the internet.

Um, the Beeb wants DRM, and it definitely has its sights on a fee for applying the licence fee to internet only access - iPlayer Doesn't Require A TV Licence... Yet.

BBC Trust moots new licence laws to cope with net
iPlayer chief pushes tiered charging for ISPs

[threaded]

Yeah but as Threaded says the key changes regularly and you never get to know it.
Sorted!

Erm, the problem happens when the Plod demand your key. IIRC saying you never knew it is not a valid defence.

I think we are safe. I predict no one will ever be jailed for downloading the odd movie/game/book/album.

I understand many people have pleaded guilty even when they haven't, because the prosecution says they have, and it's cheaper than fighting the case.

And in some other style cases they've pleaded guilty when the prosecution hasn't even got any evidence! Their name just happens to be on a proven dodgy list from America. This to save the threatened embarrassment of fighting it in court.

[Diestl]

Erm, the problem happens when the Plod demand your key. IIRC saying you never knew it is not a valid defence.



I understand many people have pleaded guilty even when they haven't, because the prosecution says they have, and it's cheaper than fighting the case.

And in some other style cases they've pleaded guilty when the prosecution hasn't even got any evidence! Their name just happens to be on a proven dodgy list from America. This to save the threatened embarrassment of fighting it in court.

Do people not know how widespread this is? Its not like IR35, its like trying to stop people drinking alcohol.

[Paddy]

Erm, the problem happens when the Plod demand your key. IIRC saying you never knew it is not a valid defence.



I understand many people have pleaded guilty even when they haven't, because the prosecution says they have, and it's cheaper than fighting the case.

And in some other style cases they've pleaded guilty when the prosecution hasn't even got any evidence! Their name just happens to be on a proven dodgy list from America. This to save the threatened embarrassment of fighting it in court.

Permie chap nearby downloads a lot music (no movies). He got a letter accusing him of persistently download Disney movies and tells him to stop. Are they guessing what he downloads or is the detection software crap?

[threaded]

Permie chap nearby downloads a lot music (no movies). He got a letter accusing him of persistently download Disney movies and tells him to stop. Are they guessing what he downloads or is the detection software crap?

The detection software is pretty crap.

On top of that, some of the investigators are a bit of a joke. In one case I know of they used something like MSPaint to place the accused's IP address onto a screen shot and presented that as evidence! Would be funny if the consequences weren't quite so serious.