Having just googled the topic, I get the impression that the RIAA is worried about illegal downloading over unprotected WiFi routers -- probably mostly to laptops.

Advocates of intellectual property rights and advocates of free music might both be interested in these questions.

Downloading copyrighted material over an open wifi network is generally anonymous. However, I have thought of a few ways that the downloading user might get identified. I'm not sure of them though. Reality check requested. Also, general comments.

--The path name for a shared music folder might contain the user's name. E.G., <Bob Johson's documents\shared music\wilson pickett.mustang sally.mp3.> Gnutella clients don't normally display the path names to found files, but it seems likely that they are accessible. How interested would the RIAA be in that kind of information -- for the sake of pursuing their lawsuit program?

--Copy-protected songs downloaded from the iTunes Music Store contain the registered name and email address of the purchaser. (Possibly also true of other protected formats, like WMA.) As far as I know, this information would get shared along with the rest of the file. True? How interested would the RIAA be?

--A wirehead friend of mine tells me he thinks the wireless card ID number of the remote machine gets stored in the cache of the WiFi router, at least for awhile. This information might be remotely accessible, or accessible if the router is seized. True? Would the RIAA find this information useful?

--It's worth mentioning that some foolish users allow access to every imaginable document type on their hard disks, including personal and business correspondence. It's amazing what you see sometimes when you "browse host." Seems like these people ought to be warned, but I'm not sure that they would be listening.

Are there other possible identification methods I haven't thought of?

Such information might not be persuasive in every case, but it could help the RIAA nail the occasional perpetrator, I suppose. Comments?

Of course, the gnutella network should not be used for downloading or sharing copyrighted materials.

Cheers,

HK