Entire Town’s Network Punished for One Download

The MPAA has just successfully shut down an entire town’s municipal WiFi network because a single user was caught downloading a copyrighted movie. This gross example of collective punishment in Coshocton, OH, a practice actually outlawed in the Geneva Conventions, was emabarrassing in generous terms, but the MPAA’s spokesman decided to cry poor, despite the studios bringing in record box-office and aftermarket numbers.

Coshocton’s IT Director, Mike LaVigne, said that the number of people who access the Internet using this specific connection varies widely, from approximately a dozen people a day to 100 during busy times, such as First Fridays and the Coshocton Canal Festival. It’s also used by Coshocton County Sheriff’s deputies who can park in the 300 block and complete traffic or incident reports without leaving their vehicle. Out-of-town business people can park and use their laptops to make connections on this network as well.

Because it’s a single address used by many people, it’s difficult to tell who made the illegal download, although the county plans to investigate the matter . Courtesy of boingboing.net