Is connecting to a non password protected wifi a crime?
By hcvvmk
@hcvvmk (175)
Malaysia
April 13, 2010 1:37pm CST
Sometimes when you switched on your laptop or mobile device, you could detect lots of WiFi signals. Some of them are password protected and some are not. You could connect it (some said steal it) and use it for your personal use. Do you think it's a crime?
I would say it's not our fault..they did not put up a password
3 people like this
7 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
13 Apr 10
Technically, it's a crime and you can usually be convicted for it, if discovered. I tend to think, however, that if someone does not protect their connection, that is their lookout and if I happen to use it for a casual connection (maybe to check my email once or something), then I am not stealing anything significant. Regular use, however, and particularly using it for large downloads or to purposely hide one's identity is quite a different matter.
Bandwidth costs money and is somebody's property, however they pay for it. Using it without their permission is stealing.
1 person likes this
@sirerba (51)
• Philippines
15 Apr 10
Here in the Philippines, there are places whereby you can also detect lots of WiFi signals,and most of them are in the malls area. If you have connected to a non-password WiFi connection, then it is free, and not a crime. It is a part of their marketing strategy in order for the people to come. You cannot easily connect into a password protected WiFi for it is not that easy to break or decode their password. But once you did that, then and only then, it will become a crime.
1 person likes this
@tonyllenium (6252)
• Italy
4 May 10
No it is not a crime i guess...normally there are some wi-fi hotspots that haven't a password restricted acess and so they are available for free public connection...surely if you use a wi-fi network generated from a private or factory network it can be but normally these connection are always protected by a password...so connect with them!!:)
@hcvvmk (175)
• Malaysia
13 Apr 10
you've got your point there..but there was this news in S'pore, a kid got sued by someone for using their internet wifi line (without password protected). I would say that, you don't lock your door. Definitely people could walk in anytime and in the virtual world, some software could just connect you to the wifi automatically.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
13 Apr 10
If you don't lock your door, your insurance company probably won't cover you and the police may well take a dim view but, whatever ... if someone walks in and takes your property, they are stealing.
In a court of law, the case might very well turn on the intent of the thief ... whether he acted with criminal intent or simply 'borrowed' an insignificant amount of bandwidth casually and without any intent to use it regularly. It would take a very good lawyer to argue that convincingly, though.
1 person likes this
@youless (112481)
• Guangzhou, China
27 Apr 10
I don't think it is a crime. Today there are more public places provide the wifi service free of charge. It is much more convenient for everybody. You can say that we just take advantage of wifi. We have not done something wrong with it. It is just like a public light gives you the light.at night And you use it to read the books.
I love China
