How To Frame a Printer For Copyright Infringement

An anonymous reader writes "Have you ever wondered what it takes to get 'caught' for copyright infringement on the Internet? Surprisingly, actual infringement is not required. The New York Times reports that researchers from the computer science department at the University of Washington have just released a study that examines how enforcement agencies monitor P2P networks and what it takes to receive a complaint today. Without downloading or sharing a single file, their study attracted more than 400 copyright infringement complaints. Even more disturbing is their discovery that illegal P2P participation can be easily spoofed; the researchers managed to frame innocent desktop machines and even several university printers, all of which received bogus complaints."

Comments

Re:Glad it's in a reputable media source

[TheRedSeven]

Yes, but will this sort of study ever make it to trial in any shape or form that is likely to put the kibosh on the MAFIAAs strongarm tactics?

Unless the little guys can pony up the cash to get these guys as expert witnesses, the MAFIAA will simply commission their own, contradictory study in order to discredit this one.

I hope at some point (and some point SOON) we get a critical mass of people and evidence against the big industry players so that they'll stop this crap. I don't think it'll happen though--there's just too many dollars at stake for them to give up.

Re:Sweet!

[McFly69]

1. Download movies 2. Pin it on RIAA's website IP address (76.74.24.143) 3. Let the cops arrest RIAA 4. Peace and Quiet 5. Profit! But seriously... if you can spoof using any IP address (Printer, Website, etc), then everyone can claim it was not them downloading anything and there is not sure way to prove it. Just food for Thought.

Re:Too flimsy...not really

[Fallen Kell]

Yes, anyone in IT understands these issues. But the fact remains that no one in IT is being listened to when they are calling this same information proof of infringement. This study is to show that their "proof" which is being used in these same cases is as worthless as all the IT people have said it was from the beginning, and that the checks the **AA investigators are using to confirm that they are not accusing the wrong people are as worthless as well in terms of verifying/screening false positives. This study shows for a FACT that false positives are occurring and occurring ALL THE TIME.