So I wake up this morning and decide to check up on the latest gaming news on Kotaku. So I boot up my pc and open up firefox only to welcomed by a letter from my ISP. It says my internet had been suspended due to suspected illegal files in which have been traced back to my IP.

The letter included a ref. number and a phone number to call to settle the issue with the ISP. The man on the phone said that someone had downloaded SpiderMan 3 lately and that the MPAA had traced it back to my IP address. Which I admit I did do, albeit it was a dumb move on my part to download something that is so mainstream and is obviously something the MPAA would monitor. SO because I let my guard down I was subjected to the suspension of service.

The man tells me that there are a few scenarios that may have led to this and 1 of them was that I had a unsecured wireless connection to my router. I told him, "Yes, I have an unsecured connection because I have so many people in and out using my internet that it's hard to give a password to everyone." Little did he know that as soon as I got that dreaded letter I took off my security on my router that way it wouldn't be possible to track down the real culprit (Even though it WAS me ).

The man said that it's alright but it's a serious offense and that from now on I should secure my connection because my ISP only gives 3 warning, and even if you are not the one who did the filesharing you will be held liable. Now I know if that ever did happen it would be nearly impossible to convicted of the crime since there wouldn't be any proof except an IP address in which someone else could've used to download copyrighted files.

So anyway, the man activated my internet and now I share a bit more wiser, and a bit safer, knowing that I should stick to perhaps anime and video game osts and movies, rather than files and moves that the MPAA or RIAA may be looking out for.

I used to be huge into file sharing, but Rogers started screwing with me so I've had to cut back a lot. I think I might have downloaded one or two movies in the past month. Rogers is still fucking with me, making up bandwidth numbers, but that's because they're dicks... Seriously, to any Canadian out there, don't get Rogers unless it's digital tv.

Wait...did you get this letter because you downloaded those files or because you were providing them for others to download?

I've only known one person who has ever been caught for sharing. He downloaded the new "King Kong" flick, and he got a letter from his ISP.

He now primarily downloads TV shows. And is hyper careful. The irony of it, the kid has always been the most cautious, and he gets busted one time.

I was the one who downloaded the movie, however I made it seem like I was innocent by having an unsecured wireless connection. So by doing that anyone who catches my internet via wireless (laptop or wireless enabled PC) could use my IP address to download whatever. So I did that that way they couldn't put the blame squarely on me and there wouldn't be any evidence.

So are you telling me your ISP watches what you download? Isn't that against some kind of privacy law? And how do they know you don't have the rights to have that movie?

I'm pretty sure they're allowed to monitor your IP; there's a new law being passed over here in a few weeks that gives the government the right to monitor your IP (*cought*1984*cough*).

I stopped downloading a long time ago; if you're a bit clever there are always alternatives

Yeah they can monitor anything that involves the IP they've given you. And the MPAA checks the swarms in torrents and can check every IP address that has downloaded a certain file.

well lets hope they aren't smart enough to check websites you visit...such as this one and read this thread and then send you away for 20 years for fraud. You are gonna burn, KH! I'm going to the authorities!!!

Incidentially in Sweden it is as of yet a serious offence to monitor a person's internet traffic, both for the ISP and the government, or to hand out the personal information connected to an IP without already having a lot on your feet to support something like that.
Sadly it's kinda going the way of 1984 over here as well though.

This sounds like Cox communications. I did the exact same thing "what wireless security? Turn it on? How do I do that?" Here's the trick, they don't care what you download, they only care about what you upload....so if you don't upload anything...

It IS Cox Communications!

It was a torrent, from MiniNova. Movie indeed was legit, but MPAA was tracking that shit.

Lol

Oh Spider-man 3, you were such a terrible movie

Parents wanted to see it, I said sure even against my better judgement to not download something of that caliber. But eh, everything's cool.

Wait a minute...

*Checks internet explorer history*

Fuck.

Good thing I haven't been looking at the torrents from there in a while...

Watching stuff online rather than downloading, that's the way to go.

This is why I stick to Rapidshare and Megaupload. Clearing my cache when I get done, burn the crap I burn to discs, then delete the stuff, badabing-badaboom.