Pirate Bay block effectiveness short-lived, data suggests

[afv011]

Some interesting quotes:

A major UK internet service provider (ISP) said peer-to-peer (P2P) activity on its network returned to just below normal only a week after the measures were enforced earlier this year.

The ISP - which shared the data with the BBC on condition of anonymity - said P2P traffic had peaked in the days court proceedings were taking place, largely due to increased media coverage.

"But volumes are already pretty much back to where they were before."

So it looks like these blocks are a waste of time and resources - or, in other words, taxpayers' money. At worst, these measures are giving TPB and P2P free publicity.

Source

[Hellmark]

And why is this surprising?

I guess that is what happens when you have technologically clueless people making such decisions.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

And why is this surprising?

It's not.

[JoeD]

In addition, the data is not able to distinguish precisely what material is downloaded and from where - meaning users may be using sites other than The Pirate Bay to access files.

Sounds like pretty worthless data if there's no way to determine how much of it is legitimate p2p traffic or at the very least coming from sources where there's a mixture of legit and infringing content.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by JoeD

Sounds like pretty worthless data if there's no way to determine how much of it is legitimate p2p traffic or at the very least coming from sources where there's a mixture of legit and infringing content.

P2P clients have an encryption feature that prevents listening parties from determining the content. Also, there may be legalities about deep packet inspection to determine what the payload is. But, would anybody be surprised if it turned out the vast majority of P2P traffic was for the distribution of pirated content?

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by afv011

P2P clients have an encryption feature that prevents listening parties from determining the content. Also, there may be legalities about deep packet inspection to determine what the payload is. But, would anybody be surprised if it turned out the vast majority of P2P traffic was for the distribution of pirated content?

Yeah, I'm aware of the encryption and potential legal issues.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority is infringing either, it just seems dodgy to draw conclusions regarding piracy from traffic data where there's no way to tell how much is legit and how much is infringing, unless the majority of legit p2p services are not encrypting their data and you know of those that do, they tend to carry infringing material more than legit

[stonetools]

Well, it slowed down downloading from TPB-which was the goal. When the feds got Dillinger, bank robberies continued- but there were no more bank robberies by Dillinger.

[Kali Yuga]

...and eventually, bank robberies did decline.

If the current methods are insufficient, chances are law enforcement will ask for more powerful tools. That should be fun.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by JoeD

Yeah, I'm aware of the encryption and potential legal issues.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority is infringing either, it just seems dodgy to draw conclusions regarding piracy from traffic data where there's no way to tell how much is legit and how much is infringing, unless the majority of legit p2p services are not encrypting their data and you know of those that do, they tend to carry infringing material more than legit

I doubt that there has been any shift in the mix. If there had been, it would have shown up on the aggregate numbers. I don't see, for example, more legal p2p making up for a drop in pirate p2p material in such a short time...

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

...and eventually, bank robberies did decline.

If the current methods are insufficient, chances are law enforcement will ask for more powerful tools. That should be fun.

Because the economy turned around and everybody who wanted a job had one...(It was called WWII)

[Steven Lake]

Ya know, I'm really not worried about all this Pirate Bay and torrent and P2P stuff myself. As one person put it quite succinctly, "It's not piracy that is the author's greatest enemy. It's obscurity. Conquer that first before you bother with a few measly pirates. You'll always come out the better for it in the end." So, I follow that principle. If they want to pirate my stuff, go for it. In the end I'll just come out the better for it.

[plib]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

...and eventually, bank robberies did decline

Not really. It's just that now they're being done by the people who run the banks (and for a lot more money).

[teh603]

Originally Posted by JoeD

Sounds like pretty worthless data if there's no way to determine how much of it is legitimate p2p traffic or at the very least coming from sources where there's a mixture of legit and infringing content.

That's the thing, they can't. Comcast has already been around the bush on this, by trying to block all P2P data including legitimate stuff.

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

If the current methods are insufficient, chances are law enforcement will ask for more powerful tools. That should be fun.

Law enforcement isn't asking for more powerful tools. Big business is trying to force law enforcement to ask for more powerful tools, when law enforcement has better things to deal with- like rapes, murders, child porn rings, people faking emissions results on cars, stuff like that.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by teh603

That's the thing, they can't. Comcast has already been around the bush on this, by trying to block all P2P data including legitimate stuff.

Law enforcement isn't asking for more powerful tools. Big business is trying to force law enforcement to ask for more powerful tools, when law enforcement has better things to deal with- like rapes, murders, child porn rings, people faking emissions results on cars, stuff like that.

You forgot fake handicap stickers....

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Because the economy turned around and everybody who wanted a job had one...(It was called WWII)

Originally Posted by plib

Not really. It's just that now they're being done by the people who run the banks (and for a lot more money).

So true, so true! Thank you for the laughs!