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Crackdown On File-Sharing In Japan

winny-cop

It is being reported that Japanese internet service providers are cutting off the net connections of users found to be engaging in illegal file-sharing:

The nation’s four Internet provider organizations have agreed to forcibly cut the Internet connection of users found to repeatedly use Winny and other file-sharing programs to illegally copy gaming software and music, it was learned Friday.

The move aims to deal with the rise in illegal copying of music, gaming software and images that has resulted in huge infringements on the rights of copyright holders.

Resorting to cutting off the Internet connection of copyright violators has been considered before but never resorted to over fears the practice might involve violations of privacy rights and the freedom of use of telecommunications.

The Internet provider organizations have, however, judged it possible to disconnect specific users from the Internet or cancel provider contracts with them if they are identified as particularly flagrant transgressors in cooperation with copyright-related organizations, according to sources.

Do you use file-sharing programs such as BitTorrent, eMule, Limewire, or Winny?

[hat tip to reader James]

42 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - March 16, 2008 at 4:37 pm

Categories: Technology Tags: bittorrent, copyright, crime, internet, isp, japan, net, news, piracy, tech, Technology, winny

Niels

How can they know you share illegal files over these networks without infringing on a person’s privacy?
You could be sharing your home-made pr0n video’s or a linux distribution. Or even all documents from you ministry.
Dakk

Way to go Japan, just waste those 100mbit lines.
Supercoolmanchu

The exact same thing is practiced here in the U.S. I downloaded the latest episode of THE SOPRANOS via Bittorrent last year, and my (major U.S. internet) provider cut my internet connection and wouldn’t reconnect my services until I called them and gave me a rather casual warning. However, three strikes and they cancel your contract, period. I was shocked.

Most files can be shared without any problems, but certain corporations like HBO or Fox are VERY anal about their copyrighted material and get after ISPs.

Karisu

I’ve never heard of such a thing happening in the U.S. I torrent files everyday and I’ve never had a problem myself.

shazzb0t

One word: Encryption. Makes it practically impossible for the ISP to figure out what you are sending over the network. Don’t use p2p programs like Limewire and so on either. Encrypted bittorrent traffic is not easy to see through and is therefore you best choice for (partially) anonymous downloading.

Plus, the guys over at the Pirate Bay are working on new bittorrent tech that will make sharing via bt networks even more safe for all you pirates out there.

Anyways, the ISPs will soon find out that this kind of policy will end up hurting their business. Fear not.

doinkies

It seems that whenever these things happen the P2P software makers find some way around it…
Montsan

I’d like to strongly second the recommendation that people stay away from programs like Limewire due to personal security reasons.
http://www.japaneconomynews.com/ Ken

Encryption is used to circumvent throttling, which is done by machines, but it is pretty much useless against pattern discernment detection methods, which humans will use to show that you are sharing and/or downloading files.

Doesn’t matter whether what you’re downloading or sharing is legal or legal, they can shut off your connection.

Doesn’t matter what the privacy laws say, they stipulate no penalties for violators.

The Overthinker

Might also pay to avoid the big-name ISPs that are vulnerable to this pressure.

shazzb0t

Without a doubt. Though that might be hard. Time to start looking into VPNs.

http://j alej

what about these file sharing sites like Rapidshare.com Megaupload.com?

shazzb0t

Those are not p2p so it doesn’t really matter.

Fred

Would something like Tor be effective in getting around this at all?

shazzb0t

Yes and no. Tor is seriously going to slow down your torrenting. It can be used for bt, but its not really practical. Simply using encrypted transfers by adjusting the settings oin your bt client’s options will help you avoid being snooped on by your ISP.

http://www.blogd.com BlogD

They should (somehow) use that information and track down more of the users that deal out child porn, instead of aiming at the gamers or w/e.

Yeah, but then again, little kids don’t have as much legal firepower as the music labels.
http://www.hormel.com VonSkippy

Yes, what a shame that they’re actually taking steps to stop people from stealing things that do not belong to them.

Niels

I think they should stop people from stealing stuff.
However, in order for my ISP to see what I am doing, they have to break privacy laws.
How can they do this without breaking these laws?
Dakk

How is it stealing? Are they taking the original copy from someone else, and keeping it? No. They’re copying it, it’s sharing.

jona

If I were to make a movie, and then some guy ripped the dvd and then uploaded it onto the net for everyone to download, and not buy my movies. I would be losing a lot of money, and I would do anything in my power to keep people from pirating my work.

Dakk

How can you say that you’re losing money, if said people downloading the film would have never bought it in the first place? Also, I regularly download films to watch first… and then buy them on DVD/Blu-ray later on.

http://www.hormel.com VonSkippy

@Dakk
That’s the logic that rapists use too. They’re not taking the original copy, or preventing the woman from having sex with other people – so what’s the harm? – it’s sharing!.

In both cases, the key argument is that both owners (the woman and the movie/music owners) have made it CLEAR that they do not want people to “share” their property – so if you do – it’s WRONG.

danjiro

It’s called copyright infringement and not stealing for a reason. Stealing is a criminal offense and much more severe than infringing copyright, which is a civil offense, and rightly so. Comparing the issue to rape, which is very clearly a violent criminal offense, is irresponsible.

The key argument is also very different. You aren’t dealing with property or sharing in rape cases at all. You are dealing with the violent violation of an individual’s freedom. This is a very separate issue from a company demanding that you not share an effectively unlimited resource just because they feel they are entitled to own the idea and make money off of it forever.
Montsan

While there are more nuances to the argument, I more or less agree with what danjiro has written regarding copyright infringement. Also VonSkippy, the rather extreme jump to comparing copyright infringement to rape does a great disservice not only to rape victims and our society’s concept of criminal rape, but to your argument as well. Assuming you are not a troll (which I am unsure of, but at least for the sake of others who may actually hold similar positions), I would suggest doing some research out on the web regarding this issue as there are debate points for your side of the argument that are far more effective than your run-of-the-mill flame-baiting.
foobar

yeah, rape, copying,,, i dont get the connection bro.
The Overthinker

“they feel they are entitled to own the idea and make money off of it forever.”

It’s their idea. Of course they own it. And they can’t make money off it forever, despite what Disney is attempting. However, unlike pies, for example, they don’t own the actual video you bought.
Dakk

Did I ever imply that it wasn’t “wrong”? I merely corrected your poor choice of diction.

Your entire analogy of Rape to Copyright Infringement is ridiculous, and wrong. It’s bad, and you should feel bad.

Chris

File Sharing is Caring and the governments do not care
http://neilduckett.com Neil Duckett

I just hope this isn’t policed too heavily.
Level3

Well, maybe when they stop selling music CDs for the ridiculous price of 3000 yen a pop, and a typical new DVD for 5000 or more, I will sympathize.

Damiskinos

True. It’s unimaginable to pay half-price or lower for a product that has been “imported.” Such as the case with Japanese CD/DVDs.

CS

They are a large amount of companies now using P2P, and BitTorrent to push their content. Easy examples are Joost, World of Warcraft, and BBCs iPlayer to push content to their users.

How can they tell who’s legit or not? Without infringing on a persons right to privacy?
jjjtango

If we’re not in Japan, this should be none of our business.

The Overthinker

Presumably more than a few people responding here are.

Victor

And a reasonable presumption that is too, I’d imagine.

Level3

There’s another factor, in that those of us in Japan basically have no way to see most TV and many movies from back home.

Some TV shows make it here after 1 or 2 years delay, if you have cable or satellite, but only the very popular ones, Battlestar Galactica just started airing here last month. Comedies almost never make it here, as they don’t translate well.
I don’t really feel guilty about downloading shows that were broadcast for free, or on basic cable, even though, for some reason, it’s illegal to get a copy by computer, but if a freind makes a videotape and sends it to me, it’s not (or at least not enforced)

Pay TV and movies feel more illegal to me. But the free broadcast stuff…how do you “steal” something that was given away for free?

The Overthinker

“how do you “steal” something that was given away for free?”

The argument here (from the networks) is that it isn’t given away for free. You are “required” to watch the ads in payment. Now if some of the networks got their act together and set up good, high-quality fast torrents of their own shows *with ads in* then they could get around a lot of the hassle (though not much, perhaps, considering how fast we can get decent-quality non-ad stuff these days – basically the next day). I mean, TV news stations manage it. I can keep up with news from around the world, even from private stations. All I need is a bigger screen.

hadji

If you download things with english titles the authorities will be too stupid to figure it out!

My faith in the Japanese ability to carry this out efficiently is very, very low.
http://thejapaneseeye.blogspot.com/ The Japanese Eye

One of my co-workers just received a call from NTT communications/flets who said to stop downloading or else, certainly scared the shit out of her
The Overthinker

So long as you only download a few files at a time it should be fine – I’ve heard of cases where people were uploading hundreds at once. Nice bandwidth….
fh

For the concerns of privacy and encryption, the report only indicates WinNY as a targeted P2P program. This pretty much points to the loophole in WinNY (which have since been fixed in Share and PerfectDark), where in order to share a file, a user must first post its hash and info on a BBS. It happens that the BBS is unencrypted and logs the user’s IP, which is how an ISP could single out the user. Since WinNY (and Share and PerfectDark) distribute files through arbitration (you are always uploading/downloading all sorts of files, but an ISP cannot tell if you’re actually _saving_ any of them for your own use), the BBS loophole is the only way to effectively combat “copyright violators”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winny#Winny.27s_Anonymity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_through_obscurity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_P2P

Moreover, the vernacular used heavily points just to WinNY’s loophole; it doesn’t seem as if ISPs are trying to target bandwidth hogs en-masse (as with, say, Comcast and bittorrent):
“… judged it possible to disconnect specific users … if they are identified as particularly flagrant transgressors in cooperation with copyright-related organizations”
Bob

Strange – Under Japanese copyright law, as I’m lead to understand, I can legally photocopy a book as long as I leave out *one page*

Any legal confirmation on this from hoogaku buffs?
http://www.japanprobe.com James

One file could be too many if the file in question is a particular movie or album that the copyright holder is aggressively trying to stop from being shared. New movies and music are most likely to get you in trouble, I’d reckon.

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