Woman Discovers Her Wireless Internet Is Not Free 62
But she'd been using it for a year and a half.
IF I HAD A MINE SHAFT, I don't think I would just abandon it. There's got to be a better way. -- Jack Handley, The New Mexican, 1988.
Re:Hehe (Score:1, Insightful)
While mooching someone else's wifi is hardly a good solution, I'm not sure it compares well to shoplifting or that it's "illegal". It's an open network, meaning anyone can connect -- so you can hardly say you're using it without authorization as there is, effectively, a blanket authorization for anyone to connect. Moreover, the signal itself is broadcast over your property, so it's really hard to make an argument for stealing. IANAL, but I don't think you can really compare this to shoplifting or call it illegal.
It'd be like if everything at the grocery store came, by default, with a sticker that said "take me I'm free" and it was up to the grocery store to remove those stickers if they didn't want to give away their product -- and also the grocery store was in your backyard on your property. Still shoplifting?
On the other hand, it's not a good idea for privacy reasons and its definitely *shady* since most open access points did not mean to be open -- but regardless, an open access point is a welcome mat, accidental or not.
Re:Hehe (Score:2, Insightful)
The use of shared wireless is not stealing. The only purpose for publishing the SSID of an unsecured wireless network is to make the network available to anyone who wants to connect to it. If people want to share their wireless, that's their business - not the court's. If that violates their terms of service that's a contractual issue between them and their ISP.
And talk of hanging people for using shared wireless? That's just madness. To use the same metaphor if your neighbor lets his horses, cattle and dogs roam onto your property or public rights-of-way then securing them isn't theft - it's being neighborly. Accepting the gift of anonymous free speech freely given? There's nothing at all wrong with that.
Re:Worthless "Tech Guy" (Score:3, Insightful)
It is covered under the same laws that prevent you from walking over to your neighbors house and plugging in an extension cord to use their electricity.
Trespass?
If they left their extension cord draped over my privacy fence, damn right I’d be within my rights to plug my radio in.