Secret Networks Protect Music Swappers

from the CNN-discovers-WASTE dept

There have been plenty of articles about more anonymous file sharing networks, and now CNN has written their article about it. They focus on private networks, such as those using Waste, the released and then denied product from Justin Frankel at AOL. What's odd is that the article seems to focus on the encryption part of the networks to keep them safe from the RIAA subpoena squads, when the more interesting thing is that these networks are private. That is, only a limited number of people are on them, and you can't get on them unless you know about them - which should help to keep RIAA scanners out. Yet another example of ways that consumers will route around the entertainment industry anytime they try to crack down.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    e g, 29 Jul 2003 @ 9:31pm

    time to check out waste

    IRC is not mentioned. Simple and effective file sharing. Kind of a private network for filesharing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2003 @ 6:35am

    No Subject Given

    People are over reacting to Waste. Especially when you consider that file sharing is not even it's main application. Try again Mike.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike (profile), 30 Jul 2003 @ 8:45am

      Re: No Subject Given

      People are over reacting to Waste. Especially when you consider that file sharing is not even it's main application. Try again Mike.

      But people are using it for file sharing.

      I agree that you can do a lot more with it, and people are, but there are some who use it as a private file sharing network.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Jack Ass, 30 Jul 2003 @ 9:35am

        Re: No Subject Given

        But people are using it for file sharing. I agree that you can do a lot more with it, and people are, but there are some who use it as a private file sharing network.

        Right, but since it's not anywhere close to as easy as Kazaa or Napster, I don't see it becoming a mainstream issue. And if it's not mainstream, why is the music industry even wasting their time paying attention to it?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Mike (profile), 30 Jul 2003 @ 9:44am

          Re: No Subject Given

          Right, but since it's not anywhere close to as easy as Kazaa or Napster, I don't see it becoming a mainstream issue. And if it's not mainstream, why is the music industry even wasting their time paying attention to it?

          Actually, I don't think the music industry is paying attention to it. I think CNN is. ;)

          Besides, while it may not be as easy to use or as mainstream now that doesn't mean it won't be in the future.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2003 @ 2:01pm

            Re: CNN is

            Actually, I don't think the music industry is paying attention to it. I think CNN is. ;)

            Funny thing is, CNN is AOL / Time Warner.. and technically IS part of the music industry.

            I guess it's another case of the right hand not knowing about the left hand's goings on.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2003 @ 8:00am

    Private

    What keeps the networks private IS their encryption. These swapping nodes are on still on the internet, why don't you believe they could be discovered?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike (profile), 30 Jul 2003 @ 8:46am

      Re: Private

      What keeps the networks private IS their encryption. These swapping nodes are on still on the internet, why don't you believe they could be discovered?

      But it's not like Kazaa or the other "file sharing networks" out there where the clients are all designed to find each other. Waste is designed so that you can only connect with those you know about. Then the encryption is used to keep what happens over that connection quiet.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.