On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 18:09:09 +0100, bigbrian
<harry8611@hotmail.com> wrote:

> On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 17:57:27 +0100, blah <J@sifjis.com> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:52:29 +0100, bigbrian <harry8611@hotmail.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>I know of several people who not only are aware that their broadband
>>>connections are being piggy backed, but actually encourage it. This
>>>guy does exactly the same thing
>>>
>>Surely he is mad? The threat to his liberty from people using his
>>connection for copyright/illegal porn is a real one.
>
> I assume that, while people can access his connection, he's happy that
> he has sufficient security over access to his hard drives that no one
> can see them and plant stuff on them.

That's not the point. He is almost certainly against his ISPs terms and
conditions, all the ones I've seen hold the account owner responsible
for all activity and ban use of the connection for illegal purposes. Or
for spamming and other net abuse, which would likely get him closed down
by his ISP.

> Or did you mean the traceability of his IP address from someone access
> illegal material? His public statement about the wide openness of his
> connection *ought* to be a pretty effective defence, but I appreciate
> it comes at the cost of "pay to play" it. He might well have been
> without his PC (and his front door) for some time before he gets to
> make his case

If I make my car available to any takers, and it is used to commit a
crime, I will be charged as an accessory to that crime. I see no reason
that providing an "open to anyone" service wouldn't be treated as the
same. Plus unless he keeps detailed logs of all transfers he has no way
of proving that it was someone else who did the transfers. Since there
is no "common carrier" law in the UK, the person who provides the
facilities is liable for what is done with them.

And it probably won't just be his PC, they'll take anything which could
hold any 'dodgy' material and it will be up to him to try to get it back
(and no guarantees of the condition it will be in).

Chris C