Free Internet

Has anyone heard about the plans that Fon has for a $5 Router and free internet access?

Their goal is to offer up a bunch of really cheap routers with the condition that everybody who uses them share the wireless on it. The goal is so their users can get wireless access virtually anywhere.

The problem thatTechDirt points out is that most ISPs prohibit the sharing of their internet connection. So technically, nobody’s allowed to use this service.

Worse, what are the privacy implications of using this service? What would happen if somebody were to use Fon access to commit fraud, spam, send nigerian emails, download child porn or worse: download music. Who’s liable here?

Obviously the person who did it for one, but what about me for letting them use my internet? After all the IP address will point to me with no way to trace it to the person who used it, and let’s not forget I’m violating my TOS in allowing them to do it. What about Fon? Essentially they have no foolproof way of knowing exactly who was doing it either.

Anonyminity is an important part of the internet and I won’t want to give that up, but we’re going to have some interesting court cases once Fon roles out.

September 20th, 2006