More on NZ FACT's 'Anti P2P program'

, posted: 28-Aug-2006 10:07

The reincarnation of Techremarks, 10Layers.com, has a good follow-up on the coverage around NZ FACT's spying on filesharers. 10layers slams NZ FACT's initiative as "a load bull" and a FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) spreading attempt.

Here's how 10layers says NZ FACT's tracking works, if it's in use:

If NZFACT is indeed using new technology to track illegal downloads, the way that they are doing this is to actively participate in peer-to-peer networks, posing as “downloaders” or “uploaders” of illegal content, and then recording the IP addresses of New Zealand “peers”. In other words, they are themselves either providing “illegal content” for download, or downloading “illegal content”. In addition, NZFACT can also search tracker portals, like The Pirate Bay. The result of these techniques provide NZFACT with a list of IP addresses used by New Zealanders downloading/uploading via these peer-to-peer networks. NZFACT must then approach the police and put forward a case for a court order forcing the ISPs in question to provide the customer details associated with the IP addresses. As far as we know, there has not been a single court order issued in regard to downloading of copyrighted material in New Zealand yet.


That's very interesting by itself because it would constitute entrapment if true. Can a private entity and its employees engage in such activities legally?

Either way though, there's no reason to assume that NZ FACT would lie to the Herald which also printed their statement on the issue. The head of the NZ Police e-crimes lab Maarten Kleintjes says he's going to talk to NZ FACT about their activities and I hope he'll ask them some hard questions. However, as 10layers says:

In fact (!), NZFACT would almost certainly be operating illegally if their claims were indeed true.


I think this would be worth following up on.

Other related posts:
Megaupload and the US grand jury
Filesonic disables file sharing; due to MegaUpload?
An industry plundered by pirates


 





Comment by Jama, on 28-Aug-2006 11:09

I take it from this that NZ FACT are ignoring UseNet? If you want to be a smart P2P'er just use The Onion Router and FACT will never find you.


Author's note by juha, on 28-Aug-2006 11:15

Usenet.... ahhh.... does anyone use that still? :)


Comment by freitasm, on 28-Aug-2006 11:20

I do. I have nine different newsgroups servers in my newsreader.


Comment by Jama, on 28-Aug-2006 11:24

Me too. Usenet is great for 'content' and no sharing. I never liked P2P.


Comment by freitasm, on 28-Aug-2006 12:09

Well, all my newsgroups are text content, not binaries. nz.comp, nz.tech, and some microsoft public and private groups (beta, connect, MVP).


Comment by tonyhughes, on 28-Aug-2006 12:13

I dont use Usenet (via NNTP anyway), as I am a poor cousin.

(read: "Xtra customer")


Author's note by juha, on 28-Aug-2006 12:16

I read nz.comp and nz.general pretty regularly, plus others like NANAE and alt.comp.virus at other times.

It's a pity that NZ ISPs have started to drop NNTP...


Comment by freitasm, on 28-Aug-2006 12:19

Here you go, free NNTP for the masses: http://www.motzarella.org/


Comment by 10layers, on 28-Aug-2006 21:03

Sorry to disagree, but hasn't NNTP played out its role? Sure I am a geek and used to use Usenet a lot, but I have to admit, I have not used it in years... (Except via Google searches :-))


Author's note by juha, on 29-Aug-2006 09:08

Everything seems to be moving to the web, that's for sure. Still, NNTP does have some advantages, like the ability to group newsgroups in a hierarchy plus an established large set of tools. I think all the spamming have spoilt Usenet though, ditto the trolling.

Even so, I believe Usenet feeds are growing, and not decreasing in size. This may be due to increased "fat posts" like binaries and HTML messages though.


Comment by Jake, on 19-Oct-2006 07:18

"2. Overview. Currently holding over 50 commercial operation investigations and have 12 private investigators that are contracted to the office on an hour by hour basis. We have 6 high profile cases before the courts at the moment and have one male facing 38 copyright charges. 17 files currently being worked on, including Siones wedding and river queen." says Tony Eaton. Note the bad grammar and sentence structure. He goes on to say : "This organisation cannot afford to lose 6.1 Billion dollars that we lost in revenue last year."

It lost 6.1 billion last year? How? and how can we make them lose more next time?


Author's note by juha, on 19-Oct-2006 10:17

Yeah... the US$6.1 billion is a movie/music studio estimate of what illegal copying costs them worldwide. Who knows if it's correct, but it's certainly not the amount applicable to NZ only. Good for dramatic effect though :)


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