[mdlug] The financial & legal danger of wireless in the house...

[Aaron Kulkis]

A few years ago, I posted on the problems that could result
from using wireless networking in an apartment or house
(i.e. no "corporate veil" to protect you from personal
liability) & lot of people said I was nuts.

Now a retired engineer was sued for $300,000 by the MPAA
for downloading two movies that he's never even heard of.

Culprit, most likely, someone leaching off of the wireless
signal from his router.  Although the suit against him was
thrown out, it was NOT on technical or evidenciary grounds,
only because the MPAA filed in the federal court in Washington,
DC rather than in his district -- and the case was dismissed
WITHOUT prejudice, which means that the MPAA can refile
in another court, and he'll be facing a $300k lawsuit
once again.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/its-organized-crime-one-p2p-defendant-speaks-out.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

[While I discourage copyright infringement, I have absolutely
NO sympathy for the RIAA and the MPAA with their heavy
handed tactics and what amounts to an extortion racket.]