Yes, you are using their network. But, you are also using the telephones network when you place a phone call. Yet it is illegal for the phone company to listen to your calls.
The same holds true for the US postal service. It's not like they can open your mail for their own analysis later.
I would like to know what constitues as a Central Office. I always hear you have to be X feet from the CO to be able to get X service. I was told by the phone company that I would be able to receive ISDN, and probably DSL (if they ever get around to rolling it out). Yet I am 10 miles, line of sight, away from their main building. Far beyond the limits of the servies offered to me.
I find it interesting that the record industry has pretty much ignored mp3 trading until now (napster). Apparently they're willing to ignore a certain amount of pirating. I never saw them go after Scour, Kermit or any of the other older mp3 engines.
But along comes napster, and they're up in arms. Its not really fair for napster to take the heat of all the mp3 trading, which is what is happening.
Slashdot Mirror
The same holds true for the US postal service. It's not like they can open your mail for their own analysis later.
What is a CO?
One could search for the song title...
Pbs website
A very good book titled "Who's Afraid of Schrodinger's Cat"
But along comes napster, and they're up in arms. Its not really fair for napster to take the heat of all the mp3 trading, which is what is happening.