RE: Isp logging downloads

silent_bob · 14-02-2004 8:40pm #1

Hi all,

With all the various P2P programs, Mp3's etc..

Has anyone asked the question? Do ISP's watch what files you download?

I am curious after reading reports about plans to shutdown P2P, and prosecute those sharing Mp3's, files etc...

If anyone knows the answer, it would be great...

Silent_Bob

IrishMike · 14-02-2004 9:09pm

ill put it this way
if mine does i would have been put in jail for 10,000 years allready

i dont really thing any isp can monitor everything that
goes along their networks
2 much work with no benefits to them
however if someone like the RIAA send ur isp a letter
then they will monitor what u are doing, but u tend
to get noticed that they are doin this
at least this is the story in the usa
its not the isps that are hanging people its people like
the RIAA scumbags

if u ask me isps here are 2 incompetent to notice

eth0_ · 14-02-2004 9:12pm

They can monitor what you download, easily. Doubt they'd have to disclose that info to the RIAA though.
In fact isn't it the law they have to keep records for x amount of years now in case a user does something illegal online?

14-02-2004 9:34pm

They can easily check what addresses your computer connects to.

They can easily check what type of service your are using by looking at the port you connect to.

Everything else, like looking at what files you are downloading or what is in the transport packets would require more effort. If done on every user, it would require them to set up some sort of packet filtering and archiving service. Plus a team of people to sort through all the data for all the users they have.
That in turn would cost money. Lots of money. Money that could be better spent on improving their network would hardly be used to kick paying subscribers off their network.
Thats not to say they couldn't do it if it was required of them by the Gardai.
But doing it on some sort of big brother scale doesn't make commercial sense. Although I'm sure the recording industry would love if it were that way..

So I think you can sleep easy.

Placebo · 14-02-2004 9:47pm

data protection act or something ? cant show customer information to ANYONE what so ever, if illegal then what some may say ? what illegal stuff can u do on the net i ask ? dont say mp3s.

Red Alert · 15-02-2004 1:10pm

Yet more reasons to hate both ISP's and the RIAA (do they have any jurisdiction in the emerald isle?)!

Jonnie_Onion · 15-02-2004 2:14pm

Just don't download anything with a copyright and you'll be fine.

15-02-2004 9:55pm

Originally posted by Red Alert
Yet more reasons to hate both ISP's and the RIAA (do they have any jurisdiction in the emerald isle?)!

Jurisdiction? You make them sound like a government agency. They are simply a trade group looking after their members common intrests. They are an American organisation. Although I'm sure an equivelent organisation exists here.
Ireland is small potatoes for the Record industry execs. They have much bigger problems in other areas of the world. Although I wouldn't rule out some token arrests to try scare the evil music stealing population of Ireland.

vibe666 · 16-02-2004 3:04pm

i used to work for an ISP and I had someone from a newspaper ring in and ask what we were doing to combat the likes of child pornography, piracy, terrorism etc. etc.

i checked with my team lead at the time and he gave me our marketing directors number for the woman to speak to, and that i shouldn't tell her anything (even my opinion) myself. anyway, i did that, and a little while later asked him what we were actually doing if anything, and his reply was that we were a 'portal' to the internet and as such would not (even if we could) be tracking peoples online activities unless asked to do so by the gardai as it would be an unbearable strain on resources.

now that was a year ago when all the sh1t was starting to float to the surface about operation ore and various other things, and i've not worked there for a good while now, so i can't say for definite if it's still the case, bu i would say it most likely is, given that the data that would need to be analysed would be significantly higher (and rising all the time) than it was then.

i just don't think logistically that it can be done on any effective scale.

John2002 · 16-02-2004 9:47pm

An ISP I know of said that they don't log user downloads purely because if somebody is downloading something illegal e.g. child porn, and they log this, they would be legally obliged to report the matter to the gardai. Because they don't keep a record they are not legally responsible. This was according to the owner of the ISP.