Posted on 05/31/2007 12:51:13 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
A Michigan man has been fined $400 and given 40 hours of community service for accessing an open wireless Internet connection outside a coffee shop.
Under a little known state law against computer hackers, Sam Peterson II, of Cedar Springs, Mich., faced a felony charge after cops found him on March 27 sitting in front of the Re-Union Street Café in Sparta, Mich., surfing the Web from his brand-new laptop.
Last week, Peterson chose the fine as part of a jail-diversion program.
"I think a lot of people should be shocked, because quite honestly, I still don't understand it myself," Peterson told FOXNews.com "I do not understand how this is illegal."
His troubles began in March, a couple of weeks after he had bought his first laptop computer.
Peterson, a 39-year-old tool maker, volunteer firefighter and secretary of a bagpipe band, wanted to use his 30-minute lunch hour to check e-mails for his bagpipe group.
He got on the Internet by tapping into the local coffee shop's wireless network, but instead of going inside the shop to use the free Wi-Fi offered to paying customers, he chose to remain in his car and piggyback off the network, which he said didn't require a password.
He used the system on his lunch breaks for more than a week, and then the police showed up.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I’ll put it this way, I could not do what this guy did without feeling like I was stealing because I have a respect for what others have bought and paid for as their private property, which I have no inherent right to.
This basic law of private property governs my actions regarding even what is considered to be “free”.
Sure it isn’t really “stealing” when the owner offers it “free”, but what can and does happen is that the concept of private property is degraded by people with no respect for what others have bought and paid for. They think it is their right and offer all sorts of lame excuses why. That is a road that leads to totalitarianism.
Use what is offered as “free” but NEVER forget that it was paid for by the blood sweat and tears of another. To many don’t have this basic respect for what is offered as “free” that is the bone I’m picking on.
I just found it very funny that the private property crusaders were screaming when it was the cops acting as if it was their right to determine who had a right to the signal...
You’re absolutely right! My grand daughter found a place in her house that receives a wi fi signal from next door. Is this theft? It is just leftover bandwidth that will never be used. For that matter, theft is taking something away from another and denying them the use of it. How can that apply here?
“You don’t broadcast a signal with impunity. If you set up a router with the intention to send a signal, issues are apparent. You do not own the ground/equipment that you send most of your signal to. If I shine a light on it do I own it?”
You asked if I had a cell phone, what has this got to do with cell phones?
You don’t own the broadcast area.
“Nope, I just bought this headset out of the box stood withing 500 feet of 133 Robinson st and viola! a dial tone.. I did nothing more than this guy..”
Cordless phones and base stations negotiate a shared key code for access.
Your scenario is very unlikely. If it happened then it’s the fault of the manufacturer, since you could be on the far side of your house form the base station and pick up your neighbors cordless phone signal by mistake, because the signal was stronger.
Re; Your first paragraph. Your personal neurosis does not change the facts. Have a nice day.
You are exact right.... How about bellying up for the free air you been using. Someone went to great pains to make sure it was clean and usable.
While technically true, this is not legally the case. The cellular industry bribed convinced the congress to pass a law making it illegal to listen in on cell calls using commonly available scanners. It was an attempt to convince new cellphone customers that their calls were "private".
Do you ask permission before roaming on another cellular telephone network?
The phone is in the hotel. The coffe shop said he was welcome to use the WiFi IF he came into the shop.
Bad, vague or overly-broad law, that's how it applies. As Dickens wrote, "...the law is a ass, a idiot."
As for what is driving legislatures to enact laws of this sort, I'd bet that it has something to do with access to entertainment online. For years, the cable TV providers have tried to stop cable "sharing". The same companies now offer broadband internet access - and they know that they'll never get all those wireless routers locked down. The result is like free cable everywhere within the router's broadcast range. Downloading of recorded TV programs, etc. - by people who aren't paying for the cable/broadband? Unthinkable!
Yep, betcha the lobbyists pushing for these laws at the state level have ties to the cable companies. If they can't stop the broadcasts, they'll try to punish you for taking the free access.
Where did they waive their property rights?
Why would you wait an hour for a doctor? If your appointment is at two, why not walk by 2:15 if you haven’t been seen?
I know, he shoulda bought a cup of coffee. Don’t cops have bigger fish to fry? If it was a “Mohammed” instead, I’ll bet the police wouldn’t dare ask him what’s up.
But the shop owns the hardware that the guy is using to send and receive information over.
bump for later reading
Right. The guy has NO right to broadcast into the coffee shop/equipment without their consent.
The world isn't simple, anymore.
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