'illegal' downloading sanction speculation

I came across the article 'Illegal film and TV downloaders could lose their links to the web' in the times today (http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3097544.ece), and while I'd heard about these 'interesting' ideas before, most likely from this very site, I'm curious as to how they can justify the part as follows:

"Until now, broadband companies have been deeply reluctant to step in, arguing that it is impractical to monitor the activities of users and would infringe privacy.

In reply to:

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being banned from having access to the web.

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Easy to say... driving above the speed limit is banned in this country, but that doesn't stop it happening.

How do you stop someone using wi-fi hotspots, unsecured wireless routers... even dial-up!

Anyway, I think that most (if not all) ISPs already include the right in their T&Cs to terminate a customers connection if it's used for unlawful purposes.

Edited by billford (Thu 27-Dec-07 16:28:38)

Wont happen, its impossible to monitor every packet of data over the web no matter what anyone says. Even if it were possible whats to stop an illegal downloader once they are banned from having the internet just getting a new phone line installed under a different name and then using that line (and if needed repeat the process over and over).

Also given how stupid some ISPs are in this country i see numerous issues with this... for one if the ISP you are with uses dynamic IP address assigning its easily possible (infact its already happened previously) that someone totally innocent would get blamed for the crime.

Sorry to say it but as is typical its a newspaper story written by someone with no clue whatsoever, and the idea which has came from government says it all... a bunch of chimps in a zoo have more of an idea about the internet than those fat parliment bozos.

They are worrying about films being cam-corder recorded in cinemas, dont the clueless idiots realise thats doesnt even have to always be the case... Films like the comedy 'Knocked Up' which was not released on dvd in the uk until yesterday (26th dec) have been out in the states on dvd and probably available for download since august/september time.

Stupid bozos need to get a clue on matters like this before they open their retarded gobs.

Edited by deleted (Thu 27-Dec-07 17:01:29)

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whats to stop an illegal downloader once they are banned from having the internet just getting a new phone line installed under a different name

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Their address ?

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driving above the speed limit is banned in this country

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no it isn't, it is an offence with a set of punishments to act as a deterrent but nothing to stop it happening.

Get the new line installed in the name of someone else living at the same address... I think "associated" people like this are already covered under the credit reference legislation?

True enough, but nit-picking I think... on that basis, can you name anything that is "banned" and doesn't ever occur?

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"whats to stop an illegal downloader once they are banned from having the internet just getting a new phone line installed under a different name"

Their address ?

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What if the premises are rented to a new occupant every 6 months? Does everyone that lives there suffer due to a previous occupants naughtiness?
Sorry but this is another ill thought out government brain wave (or flat line) I think even you really know and realise that yarwell.

Even if you couldnt get a new line you could dial up via a mobile in this day and age to a provider and download merrily and illegally to your pc...... As said theres loads of reasons this hair brained idea wont work. wi-fi hotspots like billford said is another example, how you gonna stop naughty people using them??? Honestly this governement have no idea, they couldnt set a VCR to record a TV programme let alone ban people from the net.

Edited by deleted (Thu 27-Dec-07 17:35:03)

While a isp could remove them, taking away the physical phone line could prove a lot more of a issue.
I'm sure that that it would need to be tested in court, as your phone line is not just for data, but also for voice calls.

Could also move onto mobile network as well......

Well if you got plenty of

Another thing is what if some numpty in a work place downloads something illegal... Are the government then going to say or tell ISPs to pull the plug on that businesses Internet connection??

I can imagine it now.... one day a BT employee has to drag their kid to work because the babysitter is ill, ten minutes later when dad is busy said kid.... shock horror uses a computer to download a song... 6 months later the idiot government say bad BT no more internet for you, disconnect yourselves immediately, which results in the whole of the UK going back to the stone age and no more internet...

Yeah right don

Edited by deleted (Fri 28-Dec-07 09:17:30)