Posted by Not saying that I don’t want to ask the person if I may use it, but how on earth am I going to find the one in my neighbourhood that has this WiFi open? When installing the internet service, shouldn’t there be a terms of agreement page where they explain that if there is no password, the network can be used by anyone? I’m not hacking into anything, I’m just using it. Plus, I found out that this network supplies 25GB free of data every month. There is a warning when you approach the limit so I’m sure I’m not making the owner pay for anything as it’s 25GB FREE of data usage.
One can argue, what if this person doesn’t know you can set a password? I can’t see how it’s not possible.
1. Terms of agreement page
2. When connecting to networks, there are a whole bunch of networks available, ALL which are security enabled (except the one I use) so upon seeing that, wouldn’t one know it is possible?
I asked a similar question once and some people had reasonable responses such as: well it’s like if you leave a car open, and someone takes it, that’s illegal. I understand that, but the car analogy would mean the person was careless. In the case of wifi, when it clearly tells you you can put up a password and you don’t, that’s like saying "i know people may use it but then ill call the police". Like if you want to be safe, shouldn’t you pay attention to it more?
Again, if I knew how to find the owner of this network for sure I would ask them for permission. But I don’t know where to start. Also, I’m carefully monitoring how much I use it so that I do not make them pay for the time that I use their Wifi. So can someone tell me, why would this be a crime?
Connecting to unprotected wireless signal is not illegal,hacking a protected network is.
You got lucky,enjoy your free internet
Who said its illegal.Its like watching your neighbors wife through your window,if he doesn’t like it he can pull the drapes. The same with the wireless,unprotected wi-fi is a free game.
It’s illegal because they are paying for the service and you are not. My friend pays the people he mooches off of but I think even that’s illegal. You’re essentially robbing the cable company of money they would be getting to provide you with internet access.
@Ο μαλακας ειναι ανικητος
Sharing can be a crime. With your reasoning, you could say "I only shared my music with a couple thousand people. It’s just sharing…" No, that’s illegal. You’re robbing the company of money they should be getting from sales.
to take what is not yours is theft…
To everyone who is saying this is NOT illegal, think again. It is in fact highly illegal. It falls under the "unauthorized access to a network" law.
Check the link:
It’s a crime simply because you’re taking something that belongs to someone else without their permission. A person shouldn’t have to secure their network any more than they should have to lock their doors. Opening an unlocked door and taking something from the house is stealing.
Taking something from someone who doesn’t even know enough to lock their doors is stealing from the helpless. What does that make of the argument that some people don’t are "too stupid" to secure their networks with an encryption key? Or don’t know the half-dozen other things that should be done — and which freeloaders often consider more nuisances in their paths?
I gotta stop before this turns into a rant. Hope that helps.
Forget the car analogy, if a woman falls down drunk in the street and you take advantage, is that also only fair or could that perhaps be morally wrong If you try hard enough you can justify anything to yourself. Note the to YOURSELF bit. That does not and never will make stealing right. If you want to do it go ahead but don’t try to convince yourself or us that you are not a thief.