An ISP can't connect traffic to an individual. They can't magically prohibit law breaking. They can't perfectly secure their wifi access points.

Yet these laws would hold private citizens accountable if they are not capable of doing these things.

(To say nothing of those businesses that offer free and open WiFi access to all comers.)

It's surprising to me, in democratic nation after nation, that we're hearing these same arguments again and again: The straight-faced assertion that citizens should have a greater legal responsibility than corporations and that they should have inherently fewer rights (to freely share their internet connection if they wish).

I was surprised that, after having DSL problems, my not-very-technical friend cracked 5 APs in his area in less than a day.

Now, I can do this, as can some of my geek friends, but the fact that this guy easily did it was pretty amazing to me. It also shows that you can't hold people responsible for what comes across their wire.

Superb!

That is the sort of creative demonstration that will really help throw this stupid idea out. Go Talk Talk!

It seems to me that if one of these measures ever passes, properly peaceful activists should arrange a similar 'experiment' on a larger scale.

See how the ISPs like it when they need to shut down half their customers. See how willfully oblivious the people are willing to be, when they and their neighbors are getting strongly-worded letters telling them that they are assumed guilty of criminal activity.

Good idea. Except I would point out:

See how the ISPs like it

For the most part he ISP's are actually with us on this one; they don't like these ideas either.

Ultimately, there is nothing that can be done about sharing data.

We're at the beginning of a cascading stupid-decision phenomenon. But, at some point we are going to have rethink our reward paradigm.

Change the meaning of money?

Money is supposed to represent value, but I think it might be suited to material value specifically, as opposed to immaterial value. The legal situation rapidly approaches ridiculousness as more immaterial value is introduced.

It's cute how the industry thinks that law is relevant to file-sharing.

Will we start to see attempts to ban "old" and insecure wireless routers? If your router only does WEP then you're open to this kind of attack, and no amount of configuring it will fix it...

But isn't it a wonderful excuse! "Oh, it was my WEP that did it, officer".

So if my car is stolen and used in a terrorist bombing I'm also liable?

No, you would receive a notification in the first instance, which would represent an opportunity to discuss terrorism with others in the household and which would provide the car owner with the information and tools to help ensure that the car is not used illegally again.

But if it's used again, you're fucked.