ISP to Supreme Court: We shouldn’t have to disconnect users accused of piracy

flop_leash_973@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 1141 points –
ISP to Supreme Court: We shouldn’t have to disconnect users accused of piracy
arstechnica.com

It feels dirty to agree with an ISP on something. But even the worst corporations are on the right side of something from time to time I suppose.

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Absolutely the correct stance, nothing dirty about it. At this point, for better and for worse, the Internet is a basic necessity. Imagine having your water turned off because you threw water balloons at your neighbour.

Not water baloons, but some companies will cut off your water if you're sharing it with a neighbor. (especially if that neighbor had their water cut off for not paying a bill)

Which is absolutely ridiculous since you are paying for the water that you are sharing.

I know you know this but it bears saying explicitly: it's because pretty much all laws are out there to enforce property first. Humanity is secondary. We all know implicitly that it's not illegal to share your water because it's unethical. It is illegal because making it illegal protects the water company's profits, humanity be damned.

We all know implicitly that it’s not illegal to share your water because it’s unethical. It is illegal because making it illegal protects the water company’s profits, humanity be damned.

it's perfectly ethical, unless i'm stealing the water, they're using the same water i'm using and that means i'm paying for it. It's literally not a problem.

It might cut flat charges but, get fucked.

I think you misinterpreted, because you two are saying the same thing. It is ethical to share. Therefore, it has not been made illegal for being unethical (because it is ethical), it has been made illegal to protect profits.

For sure. Even when it isn't a law the same outcome happens when corporations get the police to enforce their policies.

How though? If you're using extra water to share with your neighbor, and YOU still pay your water bill, they still get extra money for extra usage, right? It just comes from your wallet rather than your neighbors.

Because your sharing your water with them disincentivizes their paying their bill.

Extrapolating on this, if you could legally share your water with the neighborhood couldn't an enterprising person with a zeriscaped yard sell their water to a thirsty lawned neighbor? That's money the water company considers theirs

Garbage collection services dislike when people throw their garbage in neighbor's cans even when the neighbor is paying for the larger can (e.g. the disposal volume being used). This has led to some garbage distribution piracy alongside recycling collection crews.

In case you wanted some cyberpunk dystopia in your cyberpunk dystopia.

Where does the cyberpunk come into play with the garbage bins?

Neon lights and vaporwave when you open the lid. It’s the bees knees.

Two ways.

The outer layer is the ad-hoc (often underground or criminal) system that serves to rectify a problem caused by the unjust rules of the legitimate system, in this case, refuse pirates who match overflow to underused capacity.

The inner layer comes from service to the community becoming punk when the mainstream becomes destructive. When recycling bandits start redistributing garbage they go from being commensal with their neighborhood (causing some noise pollution and some additional mess) to mutualist (providing a service to the neighborhood they scavenge).

I appreciate the explanation, but I don't think I follow what that has to do with cyberpunk.

Wikipedia describes cyberpunk as "futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberware, juxtaposed with societal collapse, dystopia or decay".

I understand the relation to dystopia, and even your comparison to the punk movement, but I don't get the cyberpunk comparison, lol

If you move them wrong they start flying around the street at an ever increasing speed.

Wow, that's really odd. My garbage company doesn't care what I do with my or anyone else's can. I can even set mine on my side of the street, and as soon as it empties, refill it and move it across the street (there's like a 15 min gap between them), and they literally don't care. I also overfill it fairly often, and again, they don't care. As long as the truck can pick it up and dump it, they're happy.

Or Nestle asked your water utility to disconnect your service because you're drinking free water instead of purchasing theirs. Not a direct correlation but closer.

Free water? Where do you live? Here I have to pay for that. 🤣

I mean, municipal water most places isn't free, but for drinking water it's effectively free.

Well water is a thing

I've had those things before. But there is maintenance and power to factor in; so not entirely free.

Power yea maintenance not really been running the same pump for my house for almost 2 decades now

I was just being sarcastic. I am WELL aware that wells exist. Also my city water isn’t really all that expensive. Certainly much cheaper than buying bottled water on the daily.

I was thinking, imagine the media companies demand the power company turn off your power because you downloaded a pirated movie. Or gas stations stop selling gas to you because you speed.

Imagine having your water turned off because you threw water balloons at your neighbour.

gasp!

I do that ALL THE TIME!!!!