What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
Three or 4 years ago, my kids downloaded a couple of movies illegally. Mediacom shut off our service, I had to sign a paper, and it was turned on again. No problems at all until this last weekend, when my (unsecured) wireless signal was used by someone to download Horrible Bosses and my Mediacom service was terminated permanently. Granted, my wireless should have been secured, but I really couldn't figure out how to do that and I live in the boonies and didn't think anyone was close enough to be able to access it anyway.
Because I am positive nobody in my house downloaded that movie, I am thinking about appealing the decision, in which case Mediacom would forward my identity and all information to Warner Brothers for an investigation. However, the grounds under which I would appeal state, "Each of the above listed items was not resident on any computer or other storage device attached to my Mediacom Online service on the date and at the time listed on the Complaint". To me, that looks like I could be liable regardless of whether the machine attached to my service was authorized or not, if evidence is found on say, a neighbor's machine.
I can cut my losses and hopefully get another ISP (there are limited providers where I am, and they are not always taking new customers) or I can go through with this in the hopes the culprit is found, and that it doesn't blow back on me. Mediacom states that part of the investigation is tracking the actual IP address the movie went to, which would not be any of my computers. I'm just not sure what my liability is, and if I should just forget about it and move on to another (lesser) ISP. Obviously, I would make sure my connection is secure in the future. Thanks for any help you can offer.
Three or 4 years ago, my kids downloaded a couple of movies illegally. Mediacom shut off our service, I had to sign a paper, and it was turned on again. No problems at all until this last weekend, when my (unsecured) wireless signal was used by someone to download Horrible Bosses and my Mediacom service was terminated permanently. Granted, my wireless should have been secured, but I really couldn't figure out how to do that and I live in the boonies and didn't think anyone was close enough to be able to access it anyway.
Because I am positive nobody in my house downloaded that movie, I am thinking about appealing the decision, in which case Mediacom would forward my identity and all information to Warner Brothers for an investigation. However, the grounds under which I would appeal state, "Each of the above listed items was not resident on any computer or other storage device attached to my Mediacom Online service on the date and at the time listed on the Complaint". To me, that looks like I could be liable regardless of whether the machine attached to my service was authorized or not, if evidence is found on say, a neighbor's machine.
I can cut my losses and hopefully get another ISP (there are limited providers where I am, and they are not always taking new customers) or I can go through with this in the hopes the culprit is found, and that it doesn't blow back on me. Mediacom states that part of the investigation is tracking the actual IP address the movie went to, which would not be any of my computers. I'm just not sure what my liability is, and if I should just forget about it and move on to another (lesser) ISP. Obviously, I would make sure my connection is secure in the future. Thanks for any help you can offer.
