AfterDawn: News

Canadian P2P users receive thousands of email notices

Users of peer-to-peer file sharing utilities in Canada have been receiving emails if they are found to be sharing copyrighted content. This is not a new concept in the global fight against Internet piracy but it is interesting considering how much pressure has been on Canada lately over its enforcement of intellectual property protection.

Canadian ISPs, including Rogers, Bell and Telus, have volunteered to forward email warnings to subscribers on behalf of major content companies (mostly located in the United States). Telus forwards an average of 4,000 notices every month. This campaign is dubbed "notice and notice."



Users are identified by IP address when they are sharing files on P2P networks and BitTorrent trackers. The identification process is not hard at all, especially when the ISPs are on your side. The Business Software Alliance (BSA) was responsible for about 60,000 "notice and notice" e-mails to Canadian file sharers in 2006.

"They've been most effective," Neil MacBride, a vice-president with the BSA, said.

Source:
CBC

Written by: James Delahunty @ 18 Feb 2007 16:27

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• 21 comments

• veyron

  I live in the US and have received a warning from my(former)ISP that a company thought I had infringed. After the warning I switched.
  But, unless I'm mistaken an American company can't sue a citizen of another country. So what's the big deal. At most there ISP might drop them(not likely).
  Do us Americans a favor and tell these b*stards to go F*ck themselves!

  18.2.2007 18:03 #1

• borhan9

  Why don't the users get programs that can block their ISP's. It's as simple as that.

  18.2.2007 18:10 #2

• veyron

  Originally posted by borhan9:Why don't the users get programs that can block their ISP's. It's as simple as that.Most of them simply connect to a VPN and while blocking the IP address leave the data stream accessible.
  Some subscription VPN's will encrypt the data. However, it's likely you will have a significant reduction in transfer speed. And you can still be id'd by numerous background programs "phoning home" as well as possible unknown spyware and tracking cookies.

  18.2.2007 18:33 #3

• Formats

  After reading the related articles, alls I could do was laugh. Being Canadian I have never had an E-mail notice regarding p2p file sharing. I use peerguardian2 when I D/L and only use private torrent sites. The RIAA & MPAA have their balls in a roar and they need to start worrying about their own, instead of us!

  18.2.2007 19:59 #4

• veyron

  Originally posted by Formats:After reading the related articles, alls I could do was laugh. Being Canadian I have never had an E-mail notice regarding p2p file sharing. I use peerguardian2 when I D/L and only use private torrent sites. The RIAA & MPAA have their balls in a roar and they need to start worrying about their own, instead of us!
  PG only stops them from uploading from your pc(if the specific ip's are blocked). The oldest and best tracker is a "Spider" and it will id you and all you transmit. It's funny when everyone thinks they're immune from detection! Modern spiders can identify pirated material even as vague as a poorly shot CAM videos using no labeling or tracking.

  18.2.2007 20:20 #5

• jetyi83

  Originally posted by veyron:I live in the US and have received a warning from my(former)ISP that a company thought I had infringed. After the warning I switched.
  But, unless I'm mistaken an American company can't sue a citizen of another country. So what's the big deal. At most there ISP might drop them(not likely).
  Do us Americans a favor and tell these b*stards to go F*ck themselves!i believe they can and do commonly sue people from other countries. Microsoft for example sued a russian teacher.

  18.2.2007 21:28 #6

• rihgt682

  I got scared after reading this. I just wish my ISP doesn't sell me out.

  18.2.2007 23:31 #7

• chick3n

  I think these big companies shouldn't be going after us, they should be going after the torrent websites and p2p programs. Even though they don't host the files, they do give a door on how to get the warez. Regardless, there are ways to semi-hide your ISP information and have a fake IP.

  19.2.2007 02:44 #8

• mystic

  the fact thet thease same companies are patitioning to have the laws changed in canada I'd at least use something to block the Ip like black ice or another hack.... once thyose american companies start to push money into the pockets of politicains its only a mater of time un less the country alows an amnisty for pass wrongs... other then that Id be careful.

  19.2.2007 03:24 #9

• tefarko

  I think it´s illegal for an ISP to monitor your traffic, unless they have a court order... better check your contract...

  19.2.2007 03:27 #10

• chubbyInc

  oh I guess an email notice will make an effect. I bet the majority of people won't even bother to read it.

  19.2.2007 05:32 #11

• blitzman

  I've had a couple of emails from my ISP but
  one concerned something i've never possessed let alone shared.
  The other was something that's not copyrighted!
  If thats the best they can do i'll just laugh my head off at how
  much of a bunch of timewasting dicks they are.
  Told my ISP to stop harrasing me or i'll take my business elswhere!

  19.2.2007 05:58 #12

• joe777

  With VOIP being so big here in holland, I was advised to use the same port for my torrent client. Is that a simple fix? Can these philistines try and packet sniff a known telecomunications device. All be it the device is connected to your modem, but I think they are venturing into forbidden territory, cause the laws are not on their side, when it comes to phone tapping, does that not require permission from a judge or something? If you can then use the same port folks

  19.2.2007 13:20 #13

• OzMick

  Nice idea that one, but maybe they will try to 'fight fire with fire' and claim you are interfering with telecommunication signals? Worth a thought though...

  19.2.2007 14:28 #14

• joe777

  Well said matey. I think its a grey area that even the legal eagels would spend time deciding. No buts, but ( he he) phone tapping? they are also without right to bottleneck the servers on VOIP services. But, NO BUTS, you also have a good point. Wonder what would happen?

  19.2.2007 15:53 #15

• BIGnewb

  i never got an email and thats because i never share on bearshare but bearshare tries to pull tricks and say enable sharing wen u wanna quit.downloading is legal in canada and thats great uploading is illegal and that doesnt bother me.

  20.2.2007 02:11 #16

• silviu__m

  hey users....did you hear about proxy...i will be traced in thailanda ...wwooww :-))))))

  20.2.2007 09:14 #17

• joe777

  @BIGnewb Man you leeching sod LOL. I am sure there was talk last year about software that policed the P2P world, better stick to bit torrent

  20.2.2007 13:23 #18

• canuckerz

  Originally posted by tefarko:I think it´s illegal for an ISP to monitor your traffic, unless they have a court order... better check your contract...Thats the first thing that came to mind when I read the article. It's not like they can only moniter the illegal stuff, which goes into the category of invasion of privacy.
  
  Im really getting tired of these big wig companys and "organizations" from the Usa picking fights with the wrong people for the wrong reasons. Is it that they are lazy, or is it that they think picking on the little guy is actually productive towards their cause?

  20.2.2007 18:17 #19

• ChiefBrdy

  Originally posted by silviu__m:hey users....did you hear about proxy...i will be traced in thailanda ...wwooww :-))))))Unless your proxy is on the 'outside' of the router (at the ISP or somewhere in between), how is that going to help you?

  22.2.2007 18:24 #20

• ChappyTTV

  Quote:hey users....did you hear about proxy...i will be traced in thailanda ...wwooww :-))))))Just how do you "proxy" from your own Service Provider..??
  You can't hide anything from your ISP folks...remember, they're the ones who are actually PROVIDING you the service and issuing your IP address to you...just how do you think you can hide anything from them? The modems can be remotely accessed and every single byte of info that is passed thru them is logged, not for content but the amount of data it passes.
  You can't use Proxy's or any software to hide anything from your own ISP so don't say you can please. You can hide from OTHER ISP's but not your own.

  24.2.2007 18:14 #21