Why does everyone say that Newsgroups are so anonymous?

[gshock888]

grabit is great ng tool. google it
otherwie xnews. but thats a resource hog

i have been using ng since i first stepped into the internet back in 1995 when i was 15

also ng is harder to use when you compare it to BT/kazaa/ftp
so its not widely used (relatively) and law enforcement / mpaa / riaa / other watchdog group rather spend their time on the more popular medium

 

[cHeeZeFacTory]

been using NG's for years. With par files they're much much better than any torrent, p2p software. Speed is consistent unlike BT.

 

[Kev]

The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: cHeeZeFacTory
been using NG's for years. With par files they're much much better than any torrent, p2p software. Speed is consistent unlike BT.

only if you pay for a good server or if your isp has good usenet service

mine has a rention of < 3 days and thus is pretty much unusable for most purposes

 

[surreal1221]

Originally posted by: chiwawa626
They've always seemed to be inconvienent...I never really tried to use them as a source for downloads, but they seem like a mess.

I agree, I never have used them ever. Just seems like such a headache for so little.

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: Kev
The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

QFT

Also, even if they were able to track it, it comes and goes so quickly it would make it a fruitless attempt.

 

[nageov3t]

this thread needs 100% more lockage

the first rule of usenet is... you DO NOT talk about the usenet. :|

/fight club

 

[SleepWalkerX]

yeah don't use newsgroups, it reallys sucks. emule is faster.

 

[FoBoT]

i thought they hammered the sharers , not the sharees on p2p networks

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I don't know what percentage keep much logs, but some NG servers specifically state that they do not.

I'd say because many NG's are private, combined with the fact that most files are broken up into segments, makes it kind of hard to say "this 80 MB block of bits you downloaded last month from some private server is part of an illegal file."

I think it's semantics...and it didn't defend torrents. NG are really the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and I'm still not sure why the RIAA or MPAA hasn't hit them. They are easy targets blatantly "selling" their wares. Users could, of course, migrate to out-of-country NG servers, and they'd be totally impervious then, but I am not sure why in-country ones are still allowed to peddle their illegals.

They have been going after NewsGroups for years but the only way to stop newsgroups is to shut down the whole internet.

 

[SearchMaster]

Originally posted by: Kev
The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

Exactly. Once they feel they've sufficiently hit the bigger boys, they'll go after newsgroups. I suspect they'll start by threatening the big ISPs, and try to get subpoenas for the bigger private NG services.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
i thought they hammered the sharers , not the sharees on p2p networks

on bittorrent, sharees = sharers

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster

Originally posted by: Kev
The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

Exactly. Once they feel they've sufficiently hit the bigger boys, they'll go after newsgroups. I suspect they'll start by threatening the big ISPs, and try to get subpoenas for the bigger private NG services.

They have been going after NewsGroups for years but the only way to stop newsgroups is to shut down the whole internet

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: imtim83

Originally posted by: SearchMaster

Originally posted by: Kev
The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

Exactly. Once they feel they've sufficiently hit the bigger boys, they'll go after newsgroups. I suspect they'll start by threatening the big ISPs, and try to get subpoenas for the bigger private NG services.

They have been going after NewsGroups for years but the only way to stop newsgroups is to shut down the whole internet

they can go after the posters/downloaders if they can get the servers to release their logs

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster

Originally posted by: Kev
The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

Exactly. Once they feel they've sufficiently hit the bigger boys, they'll go after newsgroups. I suspect they'll start by threatening the big ISPs, and try to get subpoenas for the bigger private NG services.

They can't even handle the "bigger boys" though.

Think about what it would take to go after NG downloaders. They would need access to MASSIVE log files and would need to obtain this from the ISP. But I don't see how any court could grant them a subpoena for access to this without any basis other than their suspicion.

Going after the NG posters could be possible, but there are precautions that can be taken by the posters

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: imtim83

Originally posted by: SearchMaster

Originally posted by: Kev
The reason the MPAA and RIAA can't crack down on newgroup downloaders is because they have to go through the ISP to even begin an investigation to find someone downloading stuff illegally. They can't actively monitor shares themselves like they can with BT and other p2p software.

Exactly. Once they feel they've sufficiently hit the bigger boys, they'll go after newsgroups. I suspect they'll start by threatening the big ISPs, and try to get subpoenas for the bigger private NG services.

They have been going after NewsGroups for years but the only way to stop newsgroups is to shut down the whole internet

they can go after the posters/downloaders if they can get the servers to release their logs

That won't do any good because by the time they do that the logs will be gone and the content will be gone.

 

[CFster]

Usenet = best kept secret about the internet.

And yes, the less people the better.

 

[Mark R]

I was under the impression that most newsgroup servers wrote your IP into every message you post - so that it could potentially be traced if required.

Maybe it's only those belonging to major ISPs that do. I've never really felt the need to use any other source of newsgroups.

Anyhow, even if you're IP is recorded - that isn't necessarily a breach of privacy; in some European countries it is potentially illegal for ISPs to retain logs of which users have had IP addresses issued to them.

 

[Squisher]

I:heart:NG

 

[Heisenberg]

Newsgroups? What are these newsgroups you speak of?

 

[WyteWatt]

Originally posted by: CFster
Usenet = best kept secret about the internet.

And yes, the less people the better.

:thumbsup:

 

[eelw]

Originally posted by: Mark R
I was under the impression that most newsgroup servers wrote your IP into every message you post - so that it could potentially be traced if required.

That's why you need to use a paid service. They will remove the header information from the posts. But that information is still retained by the provider.

 

[0roo0roo]

obscurity. but really, thats the only advantage

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: imtim83

Originally posted by: CFster
Usenet = best kept secret about the internet.

And yes, the less people the better.

:thumbsup:

glad that I know how to use it. (binaries)

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Kev
They can't even handle the "bigger boys" though.

Think about what it would take to go after NG downloaders. They would need access to MASSIVE log files and would need to obtain this from the ISP. But I don't see how any court could grant them a subpoena for access to this without any basis other than their suspicion.

Going after the NG posters could be possible, but there are precautions that can be taken by the posters

One of these days law enforcement will be involved and all they will do is get a warrant and install their own logging system that filters and logs all posts, under the auspicies of child pornography this warrant will be easy to obtain and they will monitor all the groups and collect log files probably over the period of months from the major NG providers.

They can then turn these log files around and go after individual pirates if they want by using the logs to obtain warrants to seize the pirates computers. Hell they could already be monitoring the major NG providers for all we know because it's very easy for them to get a sealed warrant and gag order on the NG provider. All they will need to do is make an example of a couple dozen people and the NG's will be hurt pretty bad.

People bitch and whine about the RIAA suing people and settling for 3K, wait till the FBI starts asking for 5 year federal sentences PER copyright violation. It's only a matter of time before the FBI does get involved as the pressure the *AA is exerting on congress is going elicit a response from law enforcement at some point. If you are going to pirate you better stay low profile.