N/A
 
FTP Siteop
 
How do you think the US government's actions concerning piracy will change over the next year?
They will do two things: they will actively monitor backbone connectivity through the Universities via sampling and they will require large ISP's like BBN Planet and MCI net to become responsible for traffic that passes through their networks by signing contract supported by random testing. There will be a less pro-active approach privately because companies are more interested in increasing revenue than monitoring traffic. Universities are where warez will be more risky to traffic. Sniffers are the only tool I am aware of that can monitor and record such traffic. Companies like Network General specialize in developing tools to monitor networks and trap certain data - anything from flesh tones, to keywords, to file types and strip packets looking for source and destination ip addresses.
 
Who will be the first to be convicted under the new laws and how will this group of people react?
Site-OPs - primarily distros then courier groups via siteops. Some
ISP's will be pegged too.
 
What effect will these convictions have on the rest of the scene?
We will adapt, new technologies will be created. More RAR's rather than zips because Sniffers flag zip files...etc. etc. It will not stop. Spoofing will be a common tool to use as well, covering ones trail is a common hacking tool which will work its way through the warez scene - so GET ON IT! Likewise, encryption will become more of a common resource as the government and big brother attempt to become more invasive. A good analogy is the video tape and music taping industry. These activities of pirating movies and audio is illegal, but never stopped. Technology has adapted to make them possible and private.
 
How is the warez scene going to be different a year from now because of the NET act?
It wont be, a few people/groups will be made examples of and the scene will go on. Law enforcement realizes that they cannot control the situation, so they act through deterrence rather than enforcement. This has been historically true whenever new 'crimes' have been legislated. Prostitution, Drugs... etc. etc. Deterrence is everything to law enforcement.
 
Will there be any positive effects on the scene?
New technology, more encryption. Necessity is the mother of invention. The government is too lagged to really keep up with the private sector especially when people are motivated by curiosity and ingenuity rather than finance.
 
How will the NET act effect you personally?
It makes me leery but I will continue my operations as they are low profile, low traffic, and primarily for personal use.
 
What advice would you give to people in the warez scene about the NET act?
Chill out. Think more about what you are doing. Don't stop, just use your head, its what got you where you are and you must continue to evolve. Use the resources you have available including encryption between sites. Don't be lazy. Change your ip address as much as possible, twice a month if possible.