Airports May Scan For Illegal Downloads on Mobile Devices
The leaders of the G8, meeting this week, are seemingly ready to ratify an agreement that would allow customs agents to search your mobile devices (computer, phone, iPod, etc.) for illegally downloaded media content.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta) is considered a step toward stopping piracy, but the logistics of implementing a discretionary system for carrying out the agreement are mind boggling. Consider this: Half of the songs on the average teen's iPod are illegally downloaded.
The biggest concern is that people who have downloaded media for personal use will be at risk of punishment, though no one knows exactly what the punishment would be. It has been reported however, that the European Parliament has suggested kicking offenders off the Internet.
The scenario most likely to materialize is that only those with massive amounts of MP3 or movie content would be at risk. Whatever way the G8 rules, one has to wonder what difference it will make. [Source: Textually]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
DarkLight @ Jul 20th 2008 2:24PM
Aaaaaand... How exactly will they know that my files are illegal?
I always transcode everything I download to the same efficient formats (uploaders almost always use inefficient codecs - why?), and I always replace those terrible tags and filenames with neat ones, so my collection effectively looks like it all came from one single place, wich could very well be my (imaginary) collection of original, legal CDs and DVDs... Is there something I am missing here, or am I safe to go?
Or maybe it's just time to stop flying... (Not that I fly alot, last time I stepped in a plane was like 6 years ago)
DarkLight @ Jul 21st 2008 5:02AM
Good point Timber, but, I don't use an iPod...
I use a generic $20 mp3 player (so that if I "have an accident" with it I don't care).. No way to tell the legal from the illegal, really, unless they are going to do some magic :-D
pudds @ Jul 21st 2008 11:37AM
@Timber Wolf: No such playlist on my iPod, and if there were, its likely removable along with all of the other default playlists. Even then, that list only refers to the songs you've purchased from iTunes, not songs ripped from CDs you own.
I fail to see how this could be even the least bit enforceable. The only media they could be assured is pirated would be anything not yet released, such as a bootleg movie or leaked album....and even then, the logistics of keeping personnel up to date on what's out and what isn't would be overwhelming.
Ed @ Jul 20th 2008 2:48PM
We simply cannot let this happen. It is a violation of privacy and god only knows what else they'd b e looking for on your laptop. We cannot let big brother's reach get any further than it already is.
Ed @ Jul 20th 2008 2:49PM
We simply cannot let this happen. It is a violation of privacy and god only knows what else they'd b e looking for on your laptop. We cannot let big brother's reach get any further than it already is.
Ed @ Jul 20th 2008 2:50PM
We simply cannot let this happen. It is a violation of privacy and
god only knows what else they'd b e looking for on your laptop. We
cannot let big brother's reach get any further than it already is.
ahow628 @ Jul 20th 2008 3:14PM
I fail to see how they will be able to tell something has been illegal downloaded. This is a crock...
pumpkinmykitty @ Jul 20th 2008 5:01PM
I want to know how in the hell do you kick someone off the internet forever???? Locking people up for life for downloading is the only thing I see on how to do that punishment!!!
Jerry @ Jul 20th 2008 9:28PM
How would scanning the files on an iPod be possibly for this. Would they have to plug something into the iPod? Would this be considered illegal search, which is protected against by the United States Constitution and probably many more. There is too much legal stuff involved in this.
Reality @ Jul 20th 2008 10:30PM
Theft is Theft and should be treated as such. Those who whine like babys about it would be the 1st crying if something was stolen from them
Phatman @ Jul 21st 2008 1:50PM
@Reality
You're right, "Theft is theft" but "Copyright infringement is Copyright infringement" try not to get the two confused.
Carolyn Anderson @ Jul 25th 2008 9:30PM
Copyright infringement is still theft - someone who's artistry is used for a purpose and then you take it without permission is theft - just under a different name.
fairyfan21 @ Jul 26th 2008 9:56AM
true theft is theft but think of it this way.... the piracy sites that people download their entertainment such as ringtones, music, and such are given on FREE websites set up by others, so in a technical sense those who download piracy entertainment aren't really stealing in a real sense.. yea they aren't paying for it but its being given to them like a gift
Kel @ Jul 21st 2008 9:22AM
The freakin' G8 doesn't have anything better talk about than illegal downloads and searching iPods at airports??? How about solving world hunger? How about the protecting environment? How about the AIDS epidemic in the third world? How about the war in Iraq or the war in Dafur or Israel & Palestine?
No wonder the rest of the world hates us!
GammerBeavis @ Jul 21st 2008 9:43AM
Why don't they just stick to SECURITY at the airport? "Sorry, sir, we missed those twelve terrorists with the plastic guns because Skippy over there had 150 pirated songs on his MP3 player."
Douglas Robertson @ Jul 21st 2008 12:00PM
excellent response! Wish I thought of it myself.
superhobo @ Jul 21st 2008 12:27PM
"...kicking offenders off the internet"
HAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
aunt_felonious @ Jul 21st 2008 1:07PM
The last time I had to go through the airport it took me two hours, and that was just to see my son off!! I felt like an idiot walking in my bare feet while my shoes took a ride in a grey tray to be xrayed. If thats not humiliating enuff, now they want to check the music on ipods, etc. What next?.....Checking phone numbers on my phone for possible terrorist activities?
THJ @ Jul 21st 2008 5:28PM
Here's how to do it:
Any song that says 'pirated' next to it means it's an illegal download.
If anyone has more than 5 songs tagged 'pirated,' we call the electro-plumber and have them seal off the internet tubes to the offenders computer and cell phone.
Then we will send the electro-plumbers to the internet HQ and have them unplug tpb and usenet.
It's gotta work. Why wouldn't it?
krispymints @ Jul 26th 2008 8:10AM
How does a song show up "pirated"? That doesn't make any sense.