ISP Issues Bizarre Warning to Customers Engaged in Piracy

An Internet provider has warned customers that "pirating online content could affect thermostats and security cameras." But the explanation is something of a stretch.

The warning comes from Armstrong Zoom, an Internet Provider that serves several states from Ohio over to the Washington DC area. It's written to customers whose connections have reportedly been used to infringe copyright.

The letter says customers won't face immediate action but will face sanctions for repeat offenses. That's similar of an industry-wide effort that tried to cut down on piracy (including a 'six strike' policy before users are disconnected completely), though it never really took off.

'Pirates' Slowed Down

According to the letter, the next step would be to have customers Internet speeds reduced to the lowest service level, though it's unclear if this would be accompanied by a price cut or the option to end any contract. (Source: torrentfreak.com)

Normally the main threat of such a slowdown is to make it difficult to stream video or download large files without great frustration. However, Zoom takes a fresh angle, saying "Please be advised this may affect other services which you may have connected to your Internet service, such as the ability to control your thermostat remotely or video monitoring services." (Source: techspot.com)

Dramatic as that sounds, the statement comes with some major caveats. For example, there's no suggestion that the home devices themselves would stop working. Any sanction would have no direct effect on the gadgets themselves.

Instead, Zoom is arguing that the slow connection might make it harder to use remote control services such as being able to turn on heating from a phone or computer when (for example) you unexpectedly head home from work early so that the house is warm upon arrival.

Warning Likely Overblown

However, even this claim is doubtful. Remotely controlling a device over the Internet only uses a tiny amount of data as it's simply sending an instruction, so it's hard to see how even a slow home connection could be significantly affected.

The only serious effect might be on remotely accessing live or recorded footage from an Internet-connected home security video. In this case it would be the home upload speeds that might be the problem, though when users are pirating movies (for example), this is done by downloading content from the Internet Service Provider.

That makes the letter particularly baffling as whether or not the service really is affected, as it does seem to be opening the company up to legal claims if somebody was to say (reasonably or otherwise) that they were unable to see the footage and suffered a security problem as a result.

What's Your Opinion?

Is the company being sensible by sending a letter such as this? Should Internet providers slow speeds of people accused of piracy anyway? Or should any legal action be left to copyright holders?