am I going to jail?

[Matt Brown]

okay, here's my little story.

I am running way low on disk space on my computer, so I deleted one of my favorite games, NHL 2002. today, since I had freed up enough room, I decided to re-install it. problem: I lost my CD case. So, since I bought the game, I didnt see a problem going off to hunt for a CD key.

Well, I want finding much luck online, until I saw a German Website. I clicked "translate site" Suddenly, my screen brought up a window that said that my computer had been tracked, my IP logged, and I was busted and was going to be investigated. It then named by ISP.

Im scared as crap, since I dont know if this was fake or not. I dont think I did anything wrong, but I dont want to lose my interent, or the fact that I have no criminal record.

do you guys think that was real? if so, what should I do?

[Ginny]

Hmm, I dunno, sounds a little like a fake, but hmm...
Yikes.
I don't think someone can find out where you live by the ISP though...

That's why I always download cdkeys on iMesh buy games and make sure I remember where I put the case.

I did lose the cdkey for the sims, the paper fell out of the case, but a friend of mine also has it so I installed it using her cd and then installed the expansion pack I have.

Don't worry too much, I think it'll turn out to be fake or sort itself out.

[Raggit]

I'd imagine it's fake.  Especially if there was no government "signature" or information. Even if it was real, they can't just take you away and put you in jail for clicking that link, it just wouldn't be right.  

They'd have to investigate you and you didn't do anything wrong so what can they do?

That's like bumbing shoulders with a hooker by acciedent on the street and being taken to jail for it.

Until the cops knock on your door I wouldn't worry.

[Evil]

If you didnt download anything then its ok. Its like searching for building a bomb on google. Until you open the page you've got no problem. And since you have already bought it then you are ok. Hell, if you get arested then you can sue the makers of a game for not having a place to get the code if you dont have it. Your ok. Theres nothing to worry about!

[Fuzzpilz]

Oh, I'm not so sure. You might well be liable under the DMCA just by looking for it. This doesn't mean, of course, that I think that message you got was authentic or in any other way worth worrying about.

[Archangel (aka SoupDragon)]

I'm guessing it's a fake. However, it is perfectly possible to trace your address by ISP; when you sign up to an ISP, you have to give your full name and address. So all a government agency has to do note your ISP and IP address, then ask the ISP which account was using that IP at that moment, and from that get your home address.

[rodekill]

Last I heard, simply visiting a site wasn't illegal.
I'm pretty sure they have to actually catch you with illegal materials.
Either way, just say you were doing research for a book or something.

[TheYak]

I had this message appear for me some time ago.  It was somewhere around a year and a half.  From what you're describing, it sounds identical.  I think it's just a prank done by obnoxious kids.  I haven't gone to jail yet (and probably had a significant amount of not-so-legal software on my PC) so I wouldn't worry too much about it.  Since then, I've been scared into purchasing all software I use (just in case any of you are evil government-type people).  

[BOYD1981]

it's not illegal to download warez/cracks/serials, it's just illegal to use them...

[Matt Brown]

okay, thanks for the reassuring posts. I'm going to lay low for a while, not download anything, stay super-clean for about a week...then, I'll go back to normal. just to be safe.

[DGMacphee]

It's real, Panda!

The Feds are tracking you right now for downloading a CD Key for a hockey game from 2002.

They also heard you once thought about trying marijuana!  

[Matt Brown]

haha, drat it DG. stupid ashcroft knows more then santa!

anyways, I wouldnt have cared about this, but I had just read about how a certain isp (I think verizion) had to give up the IP's of file-sharers to the feds, who then tracked them down

so, I really didnt know if this fell into that catagory. guess not.

[Fuzzpilz]

Yes, it was Verizon, but the names were surrendered to the RIAA rather than the authorities. (although the RIAA certainly doesn't seem to see a difference lately)

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

In other related news:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/08/12/BU207276.DTLype=tech
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32303.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32230.html (tee hee ._.)

[DGMacphee]

El Panda, keep in mind you bought Hockey 2002 -- You're legally entitled to that CD Key, despite the Feds' prosecutions.

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

Actually, legally, you are not. You are only entitled to your own CD-key.

Its the same thing as buying a game and then downloading it because you own it anyway. Nothing much wrong with it per se, but legally you are entitled only to your own copy.

[DGMacphee]

Legally he IS entitled to it -- he is not infringing upon any copyright laws as he bought the game and thus the company suffered no loss of royalties (And a company needs to prove they suffer loss of loyalties if they want to prosecute -- I studied this topic rigourously last semester)

Yes, all CD Keys are individually determined with individual copies of games.

However, universal serial keys are instituted by the developer, and thus the developer is responsible for the affects of having that key.

If you've legally bought the game, you're legally entitled to a universal CD Key if you lose your old one -- This is because the developer is responsible for the inclusion of that key.

Whether you've bought the game or not is a different matter -- the developer can sue for copyright infringement if you use a universal CD Key on a pirated game because they suffer loss of royalties.

Also, CD keys are not intellectual property -- they do not count as creative material as a result of an idea.

Thus, one company cannot sue another company if their both their products use the same CD key on their two individual product CDs (And that'd be fucking stupid anyway).

I study journalism and deal with copyright law all the time -- Trust me, it's legit as long as you are not infringing upon any loss of royalties the developer.

[Las Naranjas]

Well, I know it's legal to access other cd keys here, but you might only be entitled to the one elsewhere.

But I doubt Panda has anything to worry about.

When I was twelve I got freaked out because I got a message on my screen saying my ISP was logged because I was a "sick fuck" for trying to find pictures of "12 year old naked girls". That was bizaare considering I was looking for abandonware at the time.

Actually, it's pretty damn funny when I think about it.

[MrColossal]

maybe trying looking in your registry for the cd key?

sometimes they don't delete

and if you have no idea what you're registry is then don't do it

eric

[n3tgraph]

it's just something like this:



they can trace a lot from your pc these days