More Swedish ISPs Decide To Keep No Logs To Protect Users
from the consumer-demand... dept
We recently noted that a Swedish ISP was advertising the fact that it doesn't keep log files of its users, following the newly implemented Swedish law, IPRED, that requires ISPs to hand over log files if users are accused of copyright infringement online. It appears that the attention generated by that one ISP has now lead multiple Swedish ISPs to also promise to delete all user data, so that there would be nothing to turn over. As a representative from Tele2 noted: "It's a strong wish from our customers, so we decided not to store information on customers' IP numbers anymore." Between this and the new interest in encryption and VPN software in Sweden, you have to wonder why the entertainment industry was so excited about the IPRED law passing in the first place.
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Filed Under: isps, log files, privacy, sweden
Companies: tele2
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viva le ipredator!
kkthx
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Great! Until..
The FIRST thing that will happen next is, the industry will turn to their bought-and-paid-for legislators, judges and lawmakers and have that little loophole closed. Watch, it will happen very soon.
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It seems regardless of how many times it is pointed out that these tactics are hollow short-term on-paper victories, these organisations just don't get it.
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Re:
Nowadays, those are the only types of victories that matter anymore. As long as the news reporters say you're accomplishing your goal, it's as good as done.
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The ISP(s) are in the pockets of the Government and visa-Versa in this country of Execs and shareholders first and Employees and customers last!
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Here is the path
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Re: Here is the path
I do not have enough storage for all those logs, so can I just email them to my representative ?
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Maybe not true
Personally I would trust Bahnhof much more than Tele2 for these reasons:
1) The CEO of Bahnhof is a friend to Oscar Swartz who started the business, and Swartz is now one of the leading bloggers who defend privacy and fight for copyright reform.
2) Bahnhof was in 2005 subjected to some seemingly unlawful and very unorthodox actions where it seems the Police has been manipulated by the content industry. For example there are indications that the content industry paid infiltrators considerable sums of money to insert illegal material into Bahnhof servers prior to a raid (the raid was approved by Tomas Norström who was also the judge in the Pirate Bay trial). Having had first hand experience of violations like this probably make Bahnhof take greater care to protect their customers.
Of course both ISPs are motivated by economic aspects - giving the customers the privacy they want - but at least one of them have a good understanding of what the content industries represent.
The CEO of Bahnhof recently wrote the following in a comment on Oscar Swartz's blog:
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Lawyer reported to Bar Association
http://blogg.aftonbladet.se/21909/perma/1198111 (in Swedish)
Peter Danowsky is also the lawyer who represented IFPI in the Pirate Bay court case.
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Logs
It's of course not general logs we are talking about, but rather logs detailing what person were assigned what IP address during what time span. Service and uptime logs are something completely different.
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Unintended Consequences
But as for unintended consequences, say bye bye to police ability to use IP addresses and logs to track down and convict people who commit actual crimes online. This was feasible when done with warrants and legitimate investigations. Because of the RIAA and their ilk, ISPs need to throw out their data to satisfy their customers, and now the real terrorists and criminals will also benefit.
Thanks RIAA.
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