Fraud, Copyright Fraud, and the Digital Economy …

This is just going to be quick …

Or, at least, I think it’s going to be quick …

Or, at least my intention’s that it’s going to be quick …

I’m burbling, aren’t I … ?

At any rate, I’m just going to repost a couple of bits of news I’ve seen, whilst I was writing up today’s Teaser.

Let’s get the quickie done first, shall we … ?

Yes …

The first bit of news I happened to spot was the news I noticed — a day or two ago, now — that both BT and Talk Talk are to challenge the Digital Economy Act: an act passed with minimum debating time in the last days of the last Labour government, only a few months ago, now.

The actual Act, itself, allows for all sorts of things, but a couple of provisions do stand out: one allows copyright holders to block websites that host illegal — copyright infringing — material, whilst another allows for the disconnection of “persistent file-sharers”.

An act that provoked quite a bit of controversy, as it — as I’ve already pointed out — went through with minimal debate or scrutiny.

What’s more, the current provisions mean that only larger ISP’s — those with 40, 000 or more subscribers — have to enforce the “Three Strikes and Your Details Are Sent To Copyright Holders” policy.

Which is what BT and TalkTalk are complaining about: they both feel that they, along with other large ISP’s, will suffer an unnecessary loss of business in a potential rush to switch service-providers.

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Now, I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Like many of us, I’ve been tempted to use peer-to-peer file-sharing to download in these financially tough times. After all, many peer-to-peer software applications — the older ones worth their salt, like Vuze or Transmission — have methods of anonymizing any given set of downloads.

I’ve even used it legally : from what little I know, peer-to-peer bit-torrent technology is one of the back-bones of the iTunes store*.

But I don’t think that’s BT and TalkTalk’s issue, here.

They, like other large ISP's have to bear the brunt of the enforcement provisions in the act.

But that loss of business, though ... ?

That’s more what they’re worried about, I think, rather than enforcing anything.

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Actually, now I’m ON the subject of iTunes …

The other bit of news I saw this morning was worrying, and ALL about iTunes.

Or , about the iTunes Store, I should say.

It seems that Apple have banned Vietnamese developer, Thuat Nguyen, from the iTunes store for fraudulently pushing some 42 of his comic book apps into the Top 50 book applications.

By hacking the credit card details of some 400 or so of the 150 million iTunes account holders.

Now, I personally use the iTunes gift cards to make purchases on iTunes.

Not so worrying, you might think.

But I’m also very aware of the fact that, as part of the registration process to use the store, I had to provide my details.

That is a bit worrying!

I can only hope Apple clear that up, quickly.

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Actually, while I’m on the subject of music …

You remember I told you about a friend of mine, Kelly the Charmer?

I’d installed Ubuntu on her laptop, a little while ago, and she’s mostly been happy with it.

Apart from one small thing: she’s not been able to access her favourite internet radio station, Saint FMº, either through Firefox, or Ryhthmbox.

So, what I’m going to ask you is, if no have any idea of how to work around this, feel free to let me know!

* I’m thinking it’s like blanc cassettes, video tape, or optical media. They’re not illegal, in and of themselves: it’s the usages you put them to, that are legal or not.

º You can usually find them, here: but depending on what OS you’re using, you might have to use this media URI: mms://saintfm.stpetershigh.essex.sch.uk:8134