The legalities and technichalities of leeching internet from a WiFi hotspot...

cleanbluesky said:
Is it legal? What are the legalities with regards to file sharing?
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V dodgy.

Imagine looking at kiddy porn via your neighbours connection - the ****'s going to hit the fan bigtime when plod kick his door down.....
 
Mmmm, i've done it once or twice. I would say its probably illegal, its like leaving a gate to private property open. Your still not allowed in without permission.

File sharing certain things isn't legal anyway. So thats even worse.
 
technically I guess it could be seen as covered under the computer misuse act (good old catchall that it is) given that you are accessing an electronic device without express permission...

Saying that I've done it more than a few times myself when out and about, and really wanted to check OcUK or needed an Email.

Funniest thing I've come across was an internet cafe in Bath with an unsecured Wifi router, sat outside checking my email on this remarkably fast internet connection, then turn around and notice a sign with the same name as the network I was running off (very reasonable rates) went in payed for 10 minutes usage (50p) and mentioned that I'd found the place because my Lappy had connected to the Router from across the way without any problems.

Then... Showed them how to setup WEP!!
 
Visage said:
Imagine looking at kiddy porn via your neighbours connection - the ****'s going to hit the fan bigtime when plod kick his door down.....
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While it is not me that is leeching, I don't bear the same vices as Gary Glitter so this scenario wouldn't effect me
 
SherberT* said:
Mmmm, i've done it once or twice. I would say its probably illegal, its like leaving a gate to private property open. Your still not allowed in without permission.
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Is it not only trespassing if you're asked to leave and do not?
 
Gilly said:
Is it not only trespassing if you're asked to leave and do not?
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Thought that only applied to areas of countryside that was deemed 'private property', i.e. "right of passage" act for ramblers.

Such act doesn't apply to someone's house, obviously.
 
cleanbluesky said:
Is it legal? What are the legalities with regards to file sharing?
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If you mean using someone's connection without permission then it's definitely illegal, no exceptions.

If you mean using file sharing programs on a wifi hotspot in, for example, a cafe then it'd be covered by their usage terms and conditions, though if you were doing dodgy stuff they may have quite a job proving it was you.

I would assume the people running the hotspot would have to take full legal responsibility for what is transmitted using their connection unless they could prove who was using it?
 
cleanbluesky said:
While it is not me that is leeching, I don't bear the same vices as Gary Glitter so this scenario wouldn't effect me
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Fair enough, but you mentioned p2p, which can be just as illegal.
 
It's a bit like walking into my house without persmission, and eating my food. You're still illegally consuming resources, no matter how little or legal you think it might be.
 
as has said, it comes under the computer missuse act, buts its very unlikely any one will even try to track you down (thats if they even knew that their network has been accessed!), unless you start very accessing dodgey stuff, etc
 
I'm sure there was a guy who was convicted of using someone elses wifi last year. I'll google it and here you go http://publicaffairs.linx.net/news/?p=363

Londoner Gregory Straszkiewicz has been convicted of dishonestly obtaining an electronic communications service contrary to s.125 of the Communications Act 2003 for accessing using neighbour’s Internet access through their unsecured wi-fi access point. He was fined £500. Police are reported to have caught him driving around in a residential area looking for access points following complaints from neighbours. The case is thought to be the first such prosecution.

Many installations of Windows XP, especially on the Intel Centrino platform (which includes built-in wi-fi), connects to open access point by default.
 
Connecting to your neighbours (or anyone elses) wireless network, whether it's unsecured or not, without their permission is theft. Simple as that.
 
FishFluff said:
Connecting to your neighbours (or anyone elses) wireless network, whether it's unsecured or not, without their permission is theft. Simple as that.
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that maybie the case but if your downloading illegal software etc through someone elses wireless connection then as far as i'm aware it's the owner of the broadband connection and router that gets prosecuted if found out, due to them not securing the router properly.
 
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lowrider007 said:
that maybie the case but if your downloading illegal software etc through someone elses wireless connection then as far as i'm aware it's the owner of the broadband connection and router that gets prosecuted if found out, due to them not securing the router properly.
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Possibly, but the most they could be charged with is a minor breach regarding their setup.

The person doing the downloading would be responsible for any offences relating to the content itself.
 
My Muslim colleague does it all the time, and when questioned came out with all sorts of nonsense about how the wireless radiation is in his house anyway, so why can't he use it?

We gave him loads of flak.

It's theft really. I'd consider it less severe if they don't have a download cap though.
 
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