GEEK! » era http://www.geekonthepc.com A teenager's viewpoint on the mysterious world of technology! Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:26:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 We could be at the end of the free public wi-fi era… already http://www.geekonthepc.com/2009/11/28/we-could-be-at-the-end-of-the-free-public-wi-fi-era-already/ http://www.geekonthepc.com/2009/11/28/we-could-be-at-the-end-of-the-free-public-wi-fi-era-already/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:44:00 +0000 GEEK! http://www.geekonthepc.com/2009/11/28/we-could-be-at-the-end-of-the-free-public-wi-fi-era-already/

Continue reading »]]> I was reading on the news site ISPReview today that we could well be at the end of our free wi-fi era already. The reason is that the government’s Digital Economy Bill would appear to suggest that wi-fi holders are to be held fully responsible for any data transferred across their internet connection.

Basically, this means that if you are in a pub using free wi-fi and you download an illegal MP3 from a site you are putting that pub owner at full responsibility for that download and is at risk for a hefty fine for allowing illegal downloads.

It was in the news that a pub owner has been fined £8,000 for an unknown customer downloading illegal files.

So this could signify the end of free wi-fi. Companies can’t afford to give out free internet if they risk being fined for something they didn’t do.

It’s a shame really, but I think it’s silly that business owners are put in responsibility for crimes they haven’t committed.

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