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The Mongoose
join:2010-01-05
Toronto, ON

The Mongoose to DSMdude

Member

to DSMdude

Re: Copyright Law Changes: VPN & Other Experiences

said by DSMdude:

I dont typically do torrents (less than 10 ever) but use SSL encrypted Usenet on a regular basis. Is this good enough? In the past its been suggested it is but with these new laws, Im just posting this as a "CYA".

As far as I know, MPAA, RIAA and friends don't/can't go after individual users from newsgroups. They tend to focus their attention on getting content removed and attacking indexing sites.
Sanek
join:2006-08-10
Kanata, ON

Sanek

Member

said by The Mongoose:

said by DSMdude:

I dont typically do torrents (less than 10 ever) but use SSL encrypted Usenet on a regular basis. Is this good enough? In the past its been suggested it is but with these new laws, Im just posting this as a "CYA".

As far as I know, MPAA, RIAA and friends don't/can't go after individual users from newsgroups. They tend to focus their attention on getting content removed and attacking indexing sites.

Most newsgroups providers don't keep any download logs (there is so much stuff going on that its simply often not practical). They do keep upload logs though for legal reasons (i.e. child pornography being uploaded, etc.).

You can read through the Privacy Policy for the provider you're interested in to see what their user information policy is.

As for netflix and hula, you can use this service (this is not VPN) to bypass the country check, while in Canada:
»unblock-us.com
DSMdude
join:2012-06-30
Kitchener, ON

DSMdude

Member

I suppose I should have posed the question as "do the copyright hounds look into the users of usenet indexing sites". Yes I use newsgroups to which the downloads are encrypted but I get the posts through an indexing site to which Im a member of.
vikingisson
join:2010-01-22
Mississauga, ON

vikingisson

Member

VPN and encrypted protocols only protect transit and/or change your geo location. The end points know where the other end is. The law will ask the endpoint where the other end is. If they know that some IP copied a particular file they follow the trail without seeing the data itself. If the end point(s) give up who the other end is then encryption is irrelevant. So your mileage may vary.
Bugblndr
join:2010-03-02
Burlington, ON

Bugblndr

Member

If the endpoint is in a country that doesn't follow copyright law, the law will not ask the endpoint anything at all and if they do, the endpoint will ignore them or tell them to pound sand.
vikingisson
join:2010-01-22
Mississauga, ON

vikingisson

Member

That's right but that little detail needs to be clear before thinking that encryption alone will solve it.

Here's a tame scenario, Netflix knows that a U.S. IP is watching a movie. If my account and whatnot is valid then that's the end of it. They don't know that the IP is really a VPN endpoint with me somewhere else entirely. If they or someone with access decides that nobody is allowed to watch that movie then Netflix gives up the VPN IP, the VPN provider gives up my IP and now they all know.

So pick your end point wisely....
The Mongoose
join:2010-01-05
Toronto, ON

The Mongoose

Member

said by vikingisson:

That's right but that little detail needs to be clear before thinking that encryption alone will solve it.

Here's a tame scenario, Netflix knows that a U.S. IP is watching a movie. If my account and whatnot is valid then that's the end of it. They don't know that the IP is really a VPN endpoint with me somewhere else entirely. If they or someone with access decides that nobody is allowed to watch that movie then Netflix gives up the VPN IP, the VPN provider gives up my IP and now they all know.

So pick your end point wisely....

And this is why people are so concerned about logging. If the VPN company truly keeps no logs, then after Netflix gives up the VPN IP, the copyright trolls come knocking, but the story changes. The VPN company, faced with a court order, can honestly say they have no idea who was using the offending IP at that time. Trail goes cold.
vikingisson
join:2010-01-22
Mississauga, ON

vikingisson

Member

said by The Mongoose:

And this is why people are so concerned about logging. If the VPN company truly keeps no logs, then after Netflix gives up the VPN IP, the copyright trolls come knocking, but the story changes. The VPN company, faced with a court order, can honestly say they have no idea who was using the offending IP at that time. Trail goes cold.

This is why you have to know what your VPN provider will do. And if someday the law is such that they must keep logs then the game changes again. So the question needs to be asked of the provider. Me and the hordes of hillbilly lawyers of the internet can't say for sure.

to say it again, pick your endpoint wisely.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
Premium Member
join:2009-06-17

MaynardKrebs

Premium Member

said by vikingisson:

to say it again, pick your endpoint wisely.

And re-check their IP retention policy frequently.
funny0
join:2010-12-22

funny0 to vikingisson

Member

to vikingisson
said by vikingisson:

said by The Mongoose:

And this is why people are so concerned about logging. If the VPN company truly keeps no logs, then after Netflix gives up the VPN IP, the copyright trolls come knocking, but the story changes. The VPN company, faced with a court order, can honestly say they have no idea who was using the offending IP at that time. Trail goes cold.

This is why you have to know what your VPN provider will do. And if someday the law is such that they must keep logs then the game changes again. So the question needs to be asked of the provider. Me and the hordes of hillbilly lawyers of the internet can't say for sure.

to say it again, pick your endpoint wisely.

and then they tell them by law you need to keep logs or you are an ilegal service, then what....ya see with these omnibus bills we inch closer to the net being useless just like they want.