How does the RIAA track what you share/download?

[enz660hp]

Since around 3 years ago, I have been hearing more and more about people being busted for illegal downloading/sharing of pirated software, music, vidoes, etc... What I want to know is how do they track what you download or share? Do you mainly get busted for sharing? I dont really share anything becuase im not much of a downloader of p2p in the first place. I am using a secure wifi router so would that help in blocking the RIAA's big nose into my business? Do they track you by ip somehow?

 

[Schadenfroh]

That is because they use torrents and kaza, easy methods for getting software. Those things are also easy to trace....

Why not just use newsgroups?

 

[enz660hp]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
That is because they use torrents and kaza, easy methods for getting software. Those things are also easy to trace....

Why not just use newsgroups?

I just use bearshare lite. How exactly do they "trace" my download? What piece of information are the searching for in order to obtain my identity? The IP address? What are newsgroups?

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

they demand internet companies for information.

 

[Mullzy]

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
they demand internet companies for information.

Yep... they just track all the IP's sharing a torrent and then ask the ISP for information about the household that was assigned that IP at that specific time. In Canada the ISPs were telling the RIAA to take a hike but I'm not sure if that policy is changing. I'm guessing in the US the ISP's have to comply with these demands?

 

[enz660hp]

Originally posted by: Mullzy

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
they demand internet companies for information.

Yep... they just track all the IP's sharing a torrent and then ask the ISP for information about the household that was assigned that IP at that specific time. In Canada the ISPs were telling the RIAA to take a hike but I'm not sure if that policy is changing. I'm guessing in the US the ISP's have to comply with these demands?

so How can I protect myself against this? Will a secure wifi connection help? What about using a proxy?

 

[pcnerd37]

The best protection is to not use P2P at all. A secure wifi connection has nothing to do with how they track you, so that wont help you any. A proxy is better than nothing, but it can still be easily traced back to you.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: enz660hp

Originally posted by: Mullzy

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
they demand internet companies for information.

Yep... they just track all the IP's sharing a torrent and then ask the ISP for information about the household that was assigned that IP at that specific time. In Canada the ISPs were telling the RIAA to take a hike but I'm not sure if that policy is changing. I'm guessing in the US the ISP's have to comply with these demands?

so How can I protect myself against this? Will a secure wifi connection help? What about using a proxy?

A secure wifi connection will only protect your LAN, but you still have an external IP address assigned by your ISP that is visible to the rest of the world, and that's the way they trace you.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: enz660hp
so How can I protect myself against this? Will a secure wifi connection help? What about using a proxy?

A secure wifi connection will only protect your LAN, but you still have an external IP address assigned by your ISP that is visible to the rest of the world, and that's the way they trace you.

Going through a proxy probably won't help that much either. They'll just subpoena the proxy server's ISP and find out who is connecting to it, then go after them. A proxy in another country that doesn't give a crap about US copyright law (such as China, much of the middle east, shady ISPs in eastern europe/russia) might offer some protection.

However, a better solution is just to not download illegal stuff.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

However, a better solution is just to not download illegal stuff.

Winner! :thumbsup:

Seriously OP, if you are that worried about it then DON'T DO IT! Problem solved.

 

[DaveSimmons]

www.napster.com -- $10 a month for unlimited legal music playback on 3 PCs, $15 month for 3 PCs and a (compatible) MP3 player. Prepay 3 months and they'll give you a flash player.

www.Netflix.com -- $20 a month for 8-12 movies on DVD, HD-DVD, and/or blu-ray, including TV series discs.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

As a point of fact, an unsecured wireless network can bail you out if you were to get in trouble with the RIAA. They can only identify an IP, not a person, so if you can show that anybody with a wireless device could've accessed your connection and downloaded from your IP, the RIAA will likely drop the claim against you. This has already happened in the past.

 

[RandomFool]

Originally posted by: Garth
As a point of fact, an unsecured wireless network can bail you out if you were to get in trouble with the RIAA. They can only identify an IP, not a person, so if you can show that anybody with a wireless device could've accessed your connection and downloaded from your IP, the RIAA will likely drop the claim against you. This has already happened in the past.

I'm not sure that actually works, I believe you actually have to prove other people did connect to your network not just that it's possible. I remember reading about that case but I think there was another reason beyond unsecured wireless. Also the RIAA is taking people to civil court so they don't have to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" just "preponderance of evidence" which means it is a probably truth.

Don't the RIAA also seize the computers as well? If they do and happen to find the file on your computer it becomes tough to say someone else on your wireless did it.

 

[enz660hp]

Originally posted by: RandomFool


Don't the RIAA also seize the computers as well? If they do and happen to find the file on your computer it becomes tough to say someone else on your wireless did it.

damn...I would take out my hdd's really quic n they could take the pc without them hehe

 

[RandomFool]

Originally posted by: enz660hp

Originally posted by: RandomFool


Don't the RIAA also seize the computers as well? If they do and happen to find the file on your computer it becomes tough to say someone else on your wireless did it.

damn...I would take out my hdd's really quic n they could take the pc without them hehe

Some woman lost a case for trying to hide evidence again I'm not sure on all the details but apparently she deleted all the files and tried to cover it up by defragging to remove the files from her drive completely. The judge ruled that because she did all that she had to pay.

You could always try using TrueCrypt to encrypt your drive then they couldn't find the files and if you try the unsecured wireless bit you might get out of it but it doesn't seem worth it to me.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Originally posted by: RandomFool

Originally posted by: Garth
As a point of fact, an unsecured wireless network can bail you out if you were to get in trouble with the RIAA. They can only identify an IP, not a person, so if you can show that anybody with a wireless device could've accessed your connection and downloaded from your IP, the RIAA will likely drop the claim against you. This has already happened in the past.

I'm not sure that actually works, I believe you actually have to prove other people did connect to your network not just that it's possible. I remember reading about that case but I think there was another reason beyond unsecured wireless. Also the RIAA is taking people to civil court so they don't have to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" just "preponderance of evidence" which means it is a probably truth.

Don't the RIAA also seize the computers as well? If they do and happen to find the file on your computer it becomes tough to say someone else on your wireless did it.

*shrug*

http://techdirt.com/articles/20060727/1131227.shtml

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

There are filters that some torrent clients have to filter out "known" RIAA IP addresses. Whatever that means

There are ways to spoof your IP that appears in torrent clients .... I never looked into it but I've read that this does exist (to the dismay of what other posters may think).

Umm .... don't DL illegal stuff (see my sig)

 

[Matthias99]

There are ways to spoof your IP that appears in torrent clients .... I never looked into it but I've read that this does exist (to the dismay of what other posters may think).

Unless you use a proxy, you can always tell where the packets are really coming from. There may be a way to change the IP that actually shows on the BitTorrent client monitoring panel, but the ISP still knows what IP you are using, and anyone that you connect to can use network sniffer tools to monitor incoming connections and see where you are really coming from.

It's just the way the IP protocol is built. There is no way to truly connect to something anonymously without using a proxy server.

 

[SickBeast]

Don't they seize your hard drive?

Piracy is a waste of time IMO.

That said, they should allow MP3 downloads as a trial. True fans will always buy the CD to support the artist.

 

[Common Sense]

http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

 

[gerwen]

FYI
Canadian ISP's aren't necessarily telling them to take a hike anymore. Got a big computer upgrade for xmas. Went looking on bittorrent for some stuff to put my rig through its paces. Normally i'm not a torrent downloader other than tv shows i missed.

Didn't actually finish downloading the software in question, it was taking a long time so i cancelled it. However i got this email from my ISP.

Dear gerwen

Rogers Cable (Rogers) has received a notice stating that activities associated with your IP address are infringing copyright in material(s) owned or exclusively licensed by others.

The full notice is appended to this e-mail below.

Under the Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet End User Agreement (EUA) and Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), you are prohibited from using the Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet service to engage in illegal activities, including activities that infringe copyright. Copies of our EUA and AUP are available at:

http://help.yahoo.com/rogers

Where there has been a violation of our EUA and/or AUP, including the unauthorized distribution of copyright-protected material, Rogers has the right to take appropriate action against you.

If you have any questions about the attached copyright notice, please contact the sender of the notice using the contact information provided in the notice. Please do not reply to this e-mail.

We trust you will comply with our policies and all applicable laws in using the Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet service.

Sincerely,

EUA Management Team
Rogers Yahoo Hi-Speed Internet




-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Entertainment Software Association
575 7th Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004 USA

Attention: Intellectual Property Enforcement
Telephone: 202-223-2400
E-mail: esa@copyright-compliance.com

2 Jan 2007 23:35:01 GMT


ISP: Rogers Cable
ESA Reference Number: <removed>

Dear Rogers Cable:

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is a U.S. trade association that represents the intellectual property interests of numerous companies that publish interactive games for video game consoles, personal computers, handheld devices and the Internet in the United States and in other countries (collectively referred to as ESA members). ESA is authorized to act on behalf of ESA members whose copyright and other intellectual property rights it believes to be infringed as described herein.

ESA is providing this letter of notification to make Rogers Cable aware of material on its network or system that infringes the exclusive copyright rights of and is unlawful towards one or more ESA members.

Through the Berne Convention and other international treaties covering intellectual property rights, ESA believes that its members' rights in such entertainment software products are entitled to the full protection of the intellectual property law as well as other relevant laws of your country.

Based on the information at its disposal, ESA has a good faith belief that the IP address below infringes the rights of one or more ESA members by offering for sale or download unauthorized copies of game products protected by copyright, or offering for sale or download material that is the subject of infringing activities. The copyrighted works that have been infringed include but are not limited to:

Title: Quake
Infringement Source: BitTorrent
Infringement Timestamp: 28 Dec 2006 05:41:19 GMT
Infringement Last Documented: 28 Dec 2006 05:41:19 GMT
Infringer Username:
Infringing Filename: Quake.4-CLONECD/ccd-q4.rar
Infringing Filesize: 2844451650
Infringer IP Address: x.x.x.x
Infringer DNS Name: <snip>
Infringing URL:



The unauthorized copies of such game product(s) or the material that is the subject of infringing activities appears on or is made available through the above-listed IP address. Those items are listed and/or identified thereon by their titles or variations thereof, game-related listings/references/descriptions, or depictions of game-related artwork. Such copies, titles, game-related listings/references/descriptions, depictions, and material that is the subject of infringing activities, are hereinafter referred to as "Infringing Material."

Accordingly, ESA hereby requests Rogers Cable to immediately do the following:

1. Notify the account holder of the Infringing Material.
2. Remove, or disable access to, the Infringing Material detailed above.
3. Take appropriate action against the account holder under your Abuse Policy/Terms
of Service Agreement, including termination of a repeat offender.

Please inform us whether you will remove or disable access to the Infringing Material as requested. Rogers Cable or the account holder may contact ESA at the above-listed contact details, with email preferred. Please include the above-noted Reference Number in the subject line of all email correspondence.

Thank you for your cooperation and prompt response in this matter.

Sincerely,

Intellectual Property Enforcement
Entertainment Software Association

 

[ibex333]

haha.. nice.... I got exactly the same letter some time ago on OOL.
Use PeerGuardian. They'll still see your IP, and might still sue you or bombard you with shakedown letters, but they'll have a hard time proving what you did or did not download.
I DONT CONDONE PIRACY, but I dont believe anyone has the right to know what I do or do not do on the internet. It is my private personal business. - Despite what anyone might say.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Don't they seize your hard drive?

They might be able to, if they can convince a judge to issue a search warrant for your computer. If they have good evidence (such as repeated illegal downloads/shares from your IP over time), a judge would probably be more inclined to let them (or a third party) give your hard drive a once-over.

That said, they should allow MP3 downloads as a trial. True fans will always buy the CD to support the artist.

...I'm not so sure about that. But that's another discussion.

Musicians are free (unless they have signed away the rights to their music, or have agreed not to give it away for free for X number of years or something like that) to release free tracks, or let people download their stuff and just encourage them to buy CDs or attend live shows. I don't exactly see major artists lining up to try it.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Most artists on the RIAA suck anyways. Find better music.

 

[StopSign]

I got an email about 2 years ago from my ISP telling me to reduce my bandwidth usage. My DL/UL total that month was somehow over 100 GB... But they didn't mention "illegal activities" so that's cool.