Using coffeeshop internet to download copyrighted materials

[mahmoud316]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ca

Hi
If I go to a coffeeshop and use their internet to download copyrighted materials on a regular basis (say twice a week), what is the worst thing that can happen? can cops be called and take me? or the store may just kick me out and ban me from ever coming back?

 

[LordofBooks]

If you're caught downloading copyrighted materials, you have bigger problems to worry about than getting kicked out of your coffee shop. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act provides a number of civil legal options to the copyright holder (you can read up more about it here: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/circumvention-of-technological-measures-that-protect-copyrighted-material.html). But it basically boils down to them being able to sue you.

However, that's only if they can find you and serve you. Otherwise, the coffee shop can just ask you to leave. If you refuse to go, then they can call the cops to remove you. As the owners of the shop and property, of course they can ban you from ever coming back.

 

[swalsh411]

The cops may arrest you if you cause a disturbance or refuse to leave but they won't give a squat that you are downloading copyrighted material.

How would anybody know anyway? Nothing you download could be traced back to your computer.

 

[BigMouthWino]

Nothing you download could be traced back to your computer.

Huh? Did I miss the sarcasm?

 

[mahmoud316]

How would anybody know anyway? Nothing you download could be traced back to your computer.

of course it can.

 

[mahmoud316]

If you're caught downloading copyrighted materials, you have bigger problems to worry about than getting kicked out of your coffee shop. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act provides a number of civil legal options to the copyright holder (you can read up more about it here: http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/circumvention-of-technological-measures-that-protect-copyrighted-material.html). But it basically boils down to them being able to sue you.

However, that's only if they can find you and serve you. Otherwise, the coffee shop can just ask you to leave. If you refuse to go, then they can call the cops to remove you. As the owners of the shop and property, of course they can ban you from ever coming back.

I don't care about getting sued right now...I am just wondering if it's a crime. meaning if the coffeeshop notices that I am downloading, can they call the cops and have me arrested?

 

[BigMouthWino]

I don't care about getting sued right now...I am just wondering if it's a crime. meaning if the coffeeshop notices that I am downloading, can they call the cops and have me arrested?

Yes, it's a crime. Will they call the cops to come and arrest you over it? Probably not.

 

[swalsh411]

of course it can.

I would just love to hear how this would be done with your typical coffee shop open wifi.

 

[TheGeekess]

I would just love to hear how this would be done with your typical coffee shop open wifi.

MAC address.
Every packet that comes out of your PC carries a copy of the MAC address that sent that packet.

 

[swalsh411]

MAC address.
Every packet that comes out of your PC carries a copy of the MAC address that sent that packet.

Yes I know what a MAC address is but there is no way the average coffee shop logs everything. Most large corporations don't even do that.

edit: But let's just say they do. And let's say one day they receive one of those darned copyright violate notices. Or maybe they are even sued. And by some miracle they are able to determine that the offender was using a computer with a MAC address of 01:80:c2:00:00:0e at 2:17 PM on 5/29/12. How does this help them? Unless they require their customers to provide the MAC address of their computer in order to use the wifi (and there is no way customers would provide that) they would have no idea who that user was unless at the time of the violation there was literally only one device connected to their router and they know who that person was.

 

[TheGeekess]

Yes I know what a MAC address is but there is no way the average coffee shop logs everything. Most large corporations don't even do that.

edit: But let's just say they do. And let's say one day they receive one of those darned copyright violate notices. Or maybe they are even sued. And by some miracle they are able to determine that the offender was using a computer with a MAC address of 01:80:c2:00:00:0e at 2:17 PM on 5/29/12. How does this help them? Unless they require their customers to provide the MAC address of their computer in order to use the wifi (and there is no way customers would provide that) they would have no idea who that user was unless at the time of the violation there was literally only one device connected to their router and they know who that person was.

Why would they not do that? I've set up many a wireless network that I tied MAC addresses to the security system of the router. If you have regular customers coming in, it makes it easy to do an initial setup that way, then log their usage/track the traffic. How better to find out who is abusing the bandwidth?

 

[justalayman]

I know of no wi-fi points such as McDonalds or Starbucks and such that require a wifi user provide a mac address. They could but they don't as far as I have seen.

If the wifi provider has that, yes, they can connect a given download with that mac address and as such, illegal user could get caught.

I just don't see it happening with the wifi providers I have seen.


btw: my router records the mac address and attaches it to the specific traffic through the router so yes, I know who in my house went where when I read the router logs, well, if I care to bother with it.

 

[justalayman]

Why would they not do that? I've set up many a wireless network that I tied MAC addresses to the security system of the router. If you have regular customers coming in, it makes it easy to do an initial setup that way, then log their usage/track the traffic. How better to find out who is abusing the bandwidth?

initial set-up?


here. here is your password.


what more set up is needed? Once they can log onto the router, there is no other set up required.

and that's only if the router is password protected. If it isn't, anybody within range can use it without any set up on the part of the wifi provider.

 

[TheGeekess]

initial set-up?


here. here is your password.


what more set up is needed? Once they can log onto the router, there is no other set up required.

and that's only if the router is password protected. If it isn't, anybody within range can use it without any set up on the part of the wifi provider.

That's not the way I'd admin such a network, especially these days. But then, I'm not an admin at anybody's fastfood joint/coffee house.

 

[justalayman]

That's not the way I'd admin such a network, especially these days. But then, I'm not an admin at anybody's fastfood joint/coffee house.

but that is how most of them are doing it, at least that I have seen. Remember who is there when somebody wants to register and log in. I don't think McDonald's U has a course in network admin