iol broadband warning

joe25

Hi
Just got a warning off iol for downloading new star wars film. They said fox had contacted them about it.i was using *** ***** to download it. Said it was only a warning this time but sail legal action would be taken it I did it again.
Can anyone tell me how they tracked my down?

JohnC.

Your IP address can be tracked.

That's all I'm going to say on this matter, as I'm not sure if mods will like this topic.

DonkeyStyle \o/

joe25 wrote:

Can anyone tell me how they tracked my down?

Well, when you're downloading on p2p, you're connected to other people... when you're connected to other PCs and exchanging data, you can see what their IP address is, and they can see yours (normally anyway).
Now assuming the company that owned the copyrights to this film (or someone they've hired) connected to the torrent, they'd see the ip addresses of the people they connect to.
IP address ranges belong to ISPs (as far as I know, but for the sake of example lets assume this is true)... so maybe ISP X owns the range of 1.1.0.0 to 1.2.254.254 and your IP address falls within this range, they know who to contact... actually it's pretty easy to find which ISP you belong to, there are programs that'll do this for you in a few clicks.
Now... they know which IP address you were using, they know which ISP that belongs to... and they know what time this file-swapping was going on at from this IP address.
Your ISP will have logs of who has been assigned what IP address at what times... so if they get a report like this, and the time and IP address points at your user id or whatever... then that's how they can trace you.
Of course the film company themselves can't identify you personally because the ISP can't/won't give out your details to third parties unless there is gardai involvement or they have a court order or something like that... but the ISP themselves know who you are... and can issue a warning... which is fair enough IMO.
So really I think it's just the ISP issuing the warning on behalf of FOX, who complained about the activities of a certain IP address at a certain time and date.
It's entirely possible to be sued I'm sure... if fox pressed hard enough.
I'd consider the warning as them being nice about it... and try'n stay out of trouble eh?

DonkeyStyle \o/

Kahless wrote:

That's all I'm going to say on this matter, as I'm not sure if mods will like this topic.

Yeah also apologies if I've said more than was appropriate... but in fairness this information is just basic networking that you'd find in any book or tutorial... there's nothing especially secret about it is there?

joe25

I think I will give up downloading movies. After getting a big fright.

JohnC.

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

Yeah also apologies if I've said more than was appropriate... but in fairness this information is just basic networking that you'd find in any book or tutorial... there's nothing especially secret about it is there?

I wasn't refering to the methods of tracking someone downloading torrents. Like you say, it is just basic networking. I was refering more to it being a thread about downloading a commercial movie. Although I'm not sure if it crosses any particular lines in the context it is in, the mods may have a particular view.

mimix

joe25 wrote:

Hi
Just got a warning off iol for downloading new star wars film. They said fox had contacted them about it.i was using bit comet to download it. Said it was only a warning this time but sail legal action would be taken it I did it again.
Can anyone tell me how they tracked my down?

Were you using any protection I.E Peer Guardian etc

DMC

I think it's no secret that Star Wars is out there on the internet, but I will edit the OP's post saying what he used to get it. Seems fair.

If anything, its worth keeping up here as a lesson as to the new depths the ISP's and Film/Music authorities are cracking down.

Chad ghostal

a few sites that sourced the film were raided (elitetorrents.org was shut down) and all the server info was taken.. they obviously had that site and other sites under observation when the film was being downloaded..

cdc

joe25 wrote:

Said it was only a warning this time but sail legal action would be taken it I did it again.

Did they give any details on the legal action?
Would it be by fox, iol, the police?

The only reports of legal action I have read of were aimed at uploaders.

DMC

But if you are using torrents, there is an element of uploading involved.

Our man in Havana

Where I work if you get 3 warnings for film downloading your account is terminated.

Mossy Monk

its the end of the world as we know it

the freedom we once had on the internet is now gone

they can get you for anything these days

lomb

Mossy Monk wrote:

its the end of the world as we know it

the freedom we once had on the internet is now gone

they can get you for anything these days

yep sometimes u have to pay for it.......................newsgroups

Villain

Anyone got any warnings from Eircom??

Also if say someone was staying in an apartment complex where there was a shared line between all the apartments would it not be next to impossible to pinpoint who was doing the downloading??

Our man in Havana

It is who ever is paying for the connection that is responsible. Ignorance is no defence. If your account is doing the downloading regardless of who is, then you will pay the piper. If you are going to be sharing your connection, besure to disable all the p2p ports first.

BrianD

I notice that there is a story in the paper that 'Homeland Security' closed down Elite Torrent that was allegedly distributing the Star Wars movie. Homeland Security???? Haven't they got better things to be doing with their time? Copyright theft is a crime but it is not as if there is money being made to send on to criminal or terrorist elements! It's great to see that the US taxpayer is footing the bill for protecting the intellectual property of Hollywood studios!

Cryos

irish1 wrote:

Anyone got any warnings from Eircom??

Also if say someone was staying in an apartment complex where there was a shared line between all the apartments would it not be next to impossible to pinpoint who was doing the downloading??

External IP can be traced back to the Internal IP the Seti Web Program tracks your submission internal and external ip so i guess it can work along the same principles.

Solair

Well be thankful that IOL just gave you a warning. They'd be completely within their rights to terminate your account with no notice, not give you any refunds and refuse to reconnect you.

You've breeched their terms of use agreement. i.e. by using their network to carryout illegal activity.

Also, downloading huge movies does genuniely put strain on the network and cause problems for other users. Don't forget that you're sharing a pipe with up to 24+ other people.

cdc

And who declared this activity illegal?
Has he been convicted? Has he been arrested / cautioned by the police? Have the police been investigating this? Have they even been informed of it?
There is a long way to go to find someone has acted illegally.

And downloading large files is the point of broadband.

If IOL are the only provider submitting to requests of prying media companies then obviously the thing to do is to get rid of IOL ASAP or don't get it in the first place, and recommend such to others.

Our man in Havana

All the isps can and will be held liable if their members download pirate content. Its only fair that they warn their subscribers about their violations, and if their subscribers wish to continue to steal films etc they can loose their account.

cdc

can and will

People pirate stuff using broadband a lot! When have the Irish isp's been either (a) sued successfully by some media group or (b) charged and found guilty by the law?
Maybe I'm out of the loop on this so if this has happened then so be it.

lomb

Bond-007 wrote:

All the isps can and will be held liable if their members download pirate content. Its only fair that they warn their subscribers about their violations, and if their subscribers wish to continue to steal films etc they can loose their account.

iol should give everyone free/cheap newsgroup access as part of their subscription, at the end of the day its reached the point to download stuff u need to pay 10 or 11 euros a month for a newsgroup account. otherwise u will eitehr b cut off or done for it.