Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Aussie ISP Scans Downloads For Copyright Violation

Posted by Hemos on from the your-data-is-not-safe dept.

Steve Nakhla writes: "According to this article, Excite@Home has begun snooping users' downloads in order to find copyrighted or pirated material. Violators have their access cut off. As an Excite@home user, this alarms me. What exactly is their definition of copyrighted? Doesn't the New York Times copyright their online articles? Can I not view them any more for fear of violating Excite's policies?"

4 of 423 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Never thought anything would make AOL look good by Unknown+Poltroon · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    I hate the new slashcode. Bring back my first post damnit!!!!

    --
    All Troll + "offtopic" mods are meta moderated as "Unfair", because you abused the system.
  2. Let me guess whos behind it by bjb · · Score: 0, Flamebait


    I have one guess who is behind it: Micro$oft.


    I've been seeing the posters all around NYC lately; in the subway, on billboards, etc. They've put a bug in peoples asses to pay for their software. Microsoft's catch phrase over the last few years has been "innovation", but now it seems to be "licensed". Hmm, I guess their stock price is hurting a little, eh?


    Anyway.. its not like they don't have the right to pursue this stuff, but at the same time, you should have heard how they were pulling out every trick in the book to cover up a false charge to my co-worker's credit card. C'mon.. they've got enough money..


    </rant>

    --
    Never hit your grandmother with a shovel, for it leaves a bad impression on her mind...
  3. Re:How is this different from a wiretap? by Captain_Vegetable · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Of course we are talking about Australia here. Nothing but thieves and beggers.


    Look at me, I'm poking a crocodile with a stick!

    I'd almost give people from AU a nickel so they could go move to a real country.

    --
    Go home script kiddies!
  4. Re:How is this different from a wiretap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Flamebait

    First off - we're talking about Australia - they have a different take on things down there, and what may be legal here might not be there (and vice-versa.)

    Well, sure. Australia was founded as a penal colony. Everyone is descended from criminals. Everybody knows that. That's why their judicial system is founded on the perfectly valid notion of "guilty until proven innocent." As upside-down as it may seem (like everything else about that antipodal garden of strange), in Australia the police actually have to get a warrant if they're not going to search your private effects.

    Anonymous cowards are currently offering seminars to assist the humor-impaired.