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US ISP Adopts Three-Strikes Policy

Posted by timothy on from the them's-our-rules dept.

Andorin writes "Suddenlink, a United States ISP that serves nineteen states, has implemented a three-strikes policy. Subscribers who receive three DMCA takedown notices are disconnected without compensation for a period of six months. According to TorrentFreak, the takedown notices do not have to be substantiated in court, which effectively means that subscribers can be disconnected based on mere accusations. In justifying the policy, Suddenlink turns to an obscure provision of their Terms of Service, but also claims that they are required by the DMCA to disconnect repeat offenders."

8 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. Beat them to the punch by Briden · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you are a customer of theirs, immediately cancel your service and tell them why you are doing it. that ought to send the right message.

    1. Re:Beat them to the punch by MoonBuggy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You make an intriguing suggestion - I (and presumably many other /.ers) would very much appreciate a bit more info; how did you get the main connection, how's it shared out, did you come up against any particularly significant red tape, what's the rough cost breakdown (hardware/installation/monthly connection), and so on?

  2. Re:This is actually not that bad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    > if you're incompetent enough to get caught three times, you shouldn't be on the Internet
    Three accusations. Not three convictions.

  3. Re:This is actually not that bad by Adrian+Lopez · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're assuming the complaints are legitimate. Your assumption is wrong.

    --
    "In prison you just have to shut your eyes and take it. Here you have to shut your eyes and give it."
  4. Re:This is actually not that bad by Lehk228 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    you subpoena your ISP for a copy of the complaint and sue the filer for libel, tortious interference, harassment, and lobby your state's AG to investigate them criminally for filing a false instrument.

    --
    Snowden and Manning are heroes.
  5. Re:Put them out of business! by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Technically yes, but a "good faith" belief that someone is doing something illegal is pretty fucking vague. If previous court ruling are any indication, hearing a rumor about "someone" pirating "something" is probably all you need to justify yourself.

    --
    -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
  6. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. by westlake · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you are a customer of theirs, immediately cancel your service and tell them why you are doing it. that ought to send the right message.

    That it does.

    It tells them that they have shed another geek who clogs their pipes and will never upgrade his service.

  7. Re:Put them out of business! by suomynonAyletamitlU · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't that technically committing perjury?

    Of course it is. That's why everyone with half a brain who's heard of these three-strikes rules in the US and abroad wants to rip people like this a new one--because they enable perjurers to be successful at abusing the law without court review.

    Of course, if you were to send three bogus DMCA takedown notices to the ISP CEO's home--or to their home office--they would notice the fact that it's a crime and cry foul (or simply break policy and ignore them), but they are more than willing to enable criminals as long as they don't see the blowback themselves.