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MIT Releases Subpoenaed Student's Info

Posted by timothy on from the stories-are-at-odds dept.

An anonymous reader submits: "MIT has released the name of the alleged infringer whose information was subpoenaed by the RIAA. The student's position? He was (1) not in the country at the time of the infringement, (2) he does not own a computer, and (3) he is not, and has never been, associated with the username in question (crazyface@KaZaA). MIT initially opposed the subpeona, but the RIAA refiled with the proper court."

12 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. MIT and no computer? by strider415 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah right..

    1. Re:MIT and no computer? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Hey, I didn't have one for most of my time at MIT. There are computer clusters everywhere - not too much need to have one in your room.

      And I was course 6 (EECS).

  2. Re:Er...Dude... by jtev · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, it's about registering the MAC address to get an IP address with MIT. the KaZaA registration is a totaly different issue. It was the owner of the IP address that was subpeonaed, and he was out of the country.

    --
    That which is done from love exists beyond good and evil
  3. Bound to happen by redelm · · Score: 4, Insightful
    With the RIAAs gill-net fishing technique, they're bound to catch some innocents.

    The real question is how long this sort of trawling will be allowed. The student could get the case dismissed on summary judgement, and the RIAA seriously admonished about bringing frivolous lawsuits.

  4. aha! by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 4, Funny

    "In particular, on June 27, at the time of the alleged infringement, I was in Romania."

    So that means he's actually under the authority of the Romanian Industry and Art Association right?

    --
    "I only speak the truth"
    Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
  5. Perhaps if the RIAA *pays* $2000 by redelm · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Why would the guy settle? The RIAA may need to abandon the case to avoid an adverse ruling. IANAL, in some states they might not be able to simply abandon without Respondant consent.

  6. MAC address can be changed by narratorDan · · Score: 4, Informative

    The problem with using the MAC address is that it can be changed or covered up, and since this is MIT how many folks do you think now how to change it?

    And according to the article, he was out of town (way out, like Romania) and therefor could not be the person who set up the computer. Since he can prove that he was out of the US I don't think that he will have to make any deals to save his ass.

    NarratorDan

    --
    "If you're not confused by quantum mechanics, you really don't understand it." - Niels Bohr
  7. Re:Twisted by rjw57 · · Score: 4, Informative
    Sounds like the guy in question had unofficially let someone else use his computer, account, etc.

    Not quite. From what I can gather MIT have a system whereby as soon as a un-recognised MAC-address hits the network, the machine is DHCP-d a temporary IP and a all web-traffic is relocated to a registration page.

    On this page, a valid MIT id and password is entered then the temporary IP becomes 'attached' to that MAC address with the MIT id used stored in a DB somewhere.

    Hence just having an IP registered to a particular user is just an indication that that guy/guyess was the first to use the machine, not that its theirs or that they even have an account on it.

    In fact, if all MIT students registered their machines under a common id (e.g. riaasuckmyballs) then there would suddenly seem to be one big pirate there :)

    The system as it stands will probably just match an IP to a person who once used the machine in question.

    --
    Rich
  8. Re:Er...Dude... by dougmc · · Score: 3, Interesting
    There are hardware devices (personal firewalls) that allow you to CHANGE the broadcasted MAC address on the fly.
    You don't need a personal firewall to do this. You can do it with many (most? all?) ethernet cards as well.

    I would have, theoretically, obtained multiple IP addresses
    Except that the system requires you to `log in' with each new MAC address ...

    Or, better yet, I could just change my broadcasted MAC address to one that I know is already registered.
    That would certainly do it.

    So, are MAC addresses about to become as `sensitive' as social sercurity numbers? (of course, just like your SSN, your MAC address is broadcast with every packet you send out, at least to the first router :) )

  9. A Setup?? by bluesangria · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What happens if the student does win this case? Doesn't that mean that the method the RIAA uses to subpoena users comes into question? Is this something MIT planned (maybe just a little) knowing that courts cannot hold accountable a person who has a solid alibi?? After all, even a civil lawsuit has to show the person was responsible for copyright infringement. Just wondering....

  10. The RIAA is on a roll by LastToKnow · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Lets sue some little girl with no money! Oops, maybe that wasn't such a hot idea. I know, I know! Lets get some student who doesn't have a computer at all! That'll learn 'em!"

  11. You're all missing a very big point by scosol · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The RIAA is suing people who are *sharing* files, not *downloading* files.

    Get that through your head.

    It's entirely conceivable that this guy left Kazaa running while going away to Romania, with all his stuff shared.
    I dunno- that's kinda how the shit works when you've got a permanent connection.
    To give back, you leave the stuff running even while you're not there.

    --
    I browse at +5 Flamebait- moderation for all or moderation for none.