Legal Danger Over Wi-Fi Networks
Thousands of homes and businesses around the UK could face legal action if they fail to secure their Wi-Fi networks properly, a Sheffield University professor has warned.
Earlier this month, German courts fined a broadband subscriber £85 after criminals used his unsecured Wi-Fi network to illegally download copyrighted material. Despite managing to prove he was on holiday at the time, the judge ruled that failing to protect his network from third-party abuse led to the crime.
“The German case is an illustration of what could happen here, so it’s a bit of a salutary warning,” said Lilian Edwards, professor of internet law at The University of Sheffield. “At the moment, there’s no legal requirement to lock down your network – it’s not a crime to leave it open, but it may break the terms and conditions of your internet service provider (ISP), and it could take legal action.”
With the Digital Economy Act given Royal Assent last month, the days of free Wi-Fi hotspots could be finished as the government looks to tackle the millions of illegal downloaders currently damaging copyrighted material.
Under the Act, court action could be brought against those “allowing” others to use their network illegally, meaning individuals that haven’t already secured their Wi-Fi connection could soon be standing in court.
“There’s no real definition of what ‘allow’ means,” added Mr Edwards. “It could be that not setting a password could be taken as ‘allowing’ someone to use your network.”
While the Digital Economy Act is yet to be fully enforced, to stay clear of the law’s reach those who own an internet connection should do all they can to keep the network private and secure.