Only ISP In Town Pulling Plug On Suspected File Sharers With No Recourse [Update]
from the guilt-by-accusation dept
With all the talk about various "three strikes" plans to kick accused (but not convicted) file sharers off the internet, it appears that one ISP, called Kaloo, in the UK has taken this to an extreme: it's kicking people off on the first accusation of infringement, with no warning, and the only way to get reconnected is to sign a form admitting guilt and promising not to do it again. Even worse? It's the only ISP in town, so people who get kicked off are basically without an internet connection. What's really odd is that the ISP doesn't seem to recognize how a complete lack of due process is a problem, calling the program "reasonable" and suggesting it "protects people from illegal activity." No, actually, it doesn't. It cuts people off from what's increasingly a vital communications system without any real proof or due process. Doesn't that seem like a problem? Update: With all the fuss and publicity from the BBC article the ISP seems to have agreed to change its policy to a "three strikes" one. That's still not great, but better than the one strike plan.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.
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Filed Under: copyright, hull, isp, one strike, three strikes, uk
Companies: karoo
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Update needed
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B. "Seems to me the question should be "why is there only 1 ISP in Hull"" is a completely valid question. If the answer is that it's a rural area and no one else wants to bother doing business there, that's one thing. If there is any hint of non-competition through govt. interference, NOW we've got a problem.
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Re: Re: Why only One ISP in Hull
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This ISPs rules are harsh, yes, but it is harsher that there is no competition in this marketplace. Perhaps people should address that issue and beg the British government to fund bringing in another source of internet connectivity. Sounds like a market ripe for some WiMax or 3G style action.
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What are you talking about?
Due process simply gets in the way of corporations pushing their agenda. Democracy failed a long time ago. Most countries are not Corpocracies.
So stop complaining and start complying!
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Re: What are you talking about?
Dude, China is a communist country. On that fact, alone, your argument is completely bunk!
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Re: Re: What are you talking about?
Dude, China is an authoritarian regime with little regards for individual rights. Those are traits that are showing up more and more in countries that don't call themselves communist.
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Re: Re: Re: What are you talking about?
You know that as far as carrying out executions China is number one and the US is a not so distant number two!
And now that the US government is totally in debt to China I think it can be said that America has a Chinese landlord!
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Re: What are you talking about?
"So stop complaining and start complying!"
Cynicism?
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Shhhh! Quiet, the sheeple might hear you!
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Power Companies?
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F-Yeah
YES
They are a SERVICE PROVIDER, not a CONTENT PROVIDER. They need to provide the internet connection ONLY and stay out of everyone's business.
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Re: F-Yeah
IAP (Internet Access Provider)
That's all I need thanks. Access for my packets to get anywhwere on the net. I don't need anythings else from my IAP. DNS I can find elsewhere, crappy security software suites I don't need either.
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There you go
Good example, especially when you consider that power can (and mostly does) get used for MUCH MORE THAN INFRINGING ACTIVITY. Try to cut someone off on these pretenses from main power, say in the middle of winter, and see how fast they get sued out of existence.
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Re: There you go
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"What is the information equivalent of winter?"
I've got one answer now: Michael Jackson's death. Anyone without Internet couldn't get any real news or information for several days, because all the radio and TV broadcasts (they don't deserve to be called networks) would talk about is how even insane plastiformed and drug-addled pop stars are still mortal. What a shame.
It all comes down to standards and competition. Internet providers need to realize they're not old-style broadcast moguls -- they are dumb bit pushers, and should not take any part in what is exchanged over the connection they set up, no matter what any "content provider" claims. Old-style broadcast moguls need to go away, so we can use all the airwaves they've been hoarding for too long, so we can ALL have better connections. They are all series-of-tubes plumbers at best, even according to their best defenders. They should always be deemed replaceable in any market, and should no longer be able to dictate how we use the plumbing we paid for.
In the U.S., if you still think the telcos and cable companies paid to set up the Internet as it exists today, you need to look up the history of "Universal LifeLine" surcharges, and other Congressional give-aways to telcos, that were supposed to be used to give us all direct fiber access. They took our taxes and padded their pockets, and kept their actual infrastructure growth to a minimum. We paid for everything they've ever constructed several times over, via hidden taxes and surcharges (on top of their usual monopoly rents). They get to make us pay again and again, to use the same infrastructure we already paid for. Maintenance does not cost anywhere near what they're charging us every month. Maintaining their massive billing systems costs more than any of their technician labor. I say we take it all back, and don't give them one more dime.
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Re: There you go
It's the reason most growops bypass the meters to avoid detection.
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Get their subscriber list
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Right to internet access?
I like the comparison to the power company that a poster used above. If I use my computer to download something illegal, shouldn't my power get cut off as well? After all, my computer, monitor, and modem use services provided by the power company.
But, obviously, this ISP thinks it's more important to kick people off than it is to keep customers and the income from these customers.
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Balance
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Danny said he was downloading a copy of a game he'd legitimately purchased. Unfortunately that isn't legal, the license merely permits you to own a piece of plastic: but that's hardly 24x7 downloading. And without any kind of warning, he wasn't able to argue his case.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/24/karoo_p2p_policy_change/
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agreed to change its policy to a "three strikes" one...
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Teacher
What sort of condescending language is that?
If you don't we'll give you 100 lines (I must not download again), make you stand in the corner wearing a dunce's hat and you will stay in after school.
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nothing good comes out of the UK
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