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The man arrested in a street in west London is at least the third person to be accused of breaching the law by taking internet service without permission.
The Communications Act 2003 says a "person who (a) dishonestly obtains an electronic communications service, and (b) does so with intent to avoid payment of a charge applicable to the provision of that service, is guilty of an offence".
Originally posted by marg6043
Well if the man had used manipulated technology to do that then he is guilty
but if the internet was open with not security then is not his fault.
Originally posted by RedGolem
Marg,
As I understood it the man just logged on to an unsecured Internet connection. I do that all the time when I am traveling or out to lunch. Note Book computers will often log on automatically. I do not think this should be a crime. Although it has been compared to steeling cable television.
Current technology make it so who ever chooses to use a wireless router with there wi fi capable computer, they can chose to encrypt it.
Second I think it would be uncommon for some one else using a some one elses router to cause any harm or inconvenience to the router owner. Should this be illegal I feel it is a victimless crime.
Well if the man had used manipulated technology to do that then he is guilty, but if the internet was open with not security then is not his fault.
Agreed. If some one has wi-fi they should encrypt it if they don't want it used by others. It almost falls into enticement not to. But the law cited states "dishonestly obtains an electronic communications service". I would read this as he took steps to circumvent a barrier. Picking up a non-encrypted wi-fi would not be dishonest in my opinion - it would be picking low-hanging fruit. lol
Marg,
As I understood it the man just logged on to an unsecured Internet connection. I do that all the time when I am traveling or out to lunch. Note Book computers will often log on automatically. I do not think this should be a crime. Although it has been compared to steeling cable television.
Ohh forgot to add something. My internet is on a wired network.. I dont trust wireless crap as far as I can throw it... well interesting.. I can throw it far... But you get the idea..
I wonder if with a law like the one in London I would have been braking the law if I use somebody connection available to me in my home.
Exactly, many people including myself and my daughter link to anything available while out of the house.
And Is nothing wrong with that, but a law like the one in London would make it illegal.
I am correct?
yeah! go england...yet another example of how it has become a police state...and you guys worry about the US. taking our rights??? you should have never given up your rights to bear arms...mistake #1
Marg,
as I understand the law in the first post, yes. If you use a different wireless hook up from your house you would be breaking the law. Which is why I don't think this should be against the law.
I will keep to the opinion that if you don't want any one else using your wireless hook up you should encrypt it. If any one tries to break your encryption then that should be against the law.
Jedi
when a person gains access to an unsecured Internet location it is not the ip address of the person who pays for the connection that they are using, they are using the ip address of the computer they are logging on with. So the person who is taking any illegal action will be tracked by his ip address, and will not bring harm to the person who is paying for the connection.