# Bittorrent Downloads Beware:  HBO is Watching

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bittorrent-downloads-beware-hbo-is-watching/369251>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 18, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bittorrent-downloads-beware-hbo-is-watching/369251 "2006-08-18T17:24:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bittorrent-downloads-beware-hbo-is-watching/369251/21 "2006-08-18T23:14:15Z")

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[QUOTE=Bongmaster]  
Yes, I subscribe to HBO. What I don’t like is having to wait and watch the programming on their schedule.  
[/QUOTE]

Tivo, my friend. Tivo. It’s well worth it.

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**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bittorrent-downloads-beware-hbo-is-watching/369251/22 "2006-08-18T23:15:40Z")

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[QUOTE=Bongmaster]  
Yes, I subscribe to HBO. What I don’t like is having to wait and watch the programming on their schedule. Its not like I was getting the shows early, I waited until they aired on Sunday night and then downloaded them the next day.

To be fair, HBO has no way of knowing if I subscribe or not since all they get is an IP address. If I do wind up getting sued I’ll be going with the unsecured wireless defence though I don’t think its likely.

\<snip\>

[/QUOTE]

And this is exactly what I would go with, that you are a subscriber, and only downloaded that which you had already (via subscription) paid for… You weren’t reselling it, you weren’t giving it to your non-subscriber friends, etc.

IOW, it’s not as if they lost revenue of any kind by your downloading of the episodes.

Now, they can make a case against whomever uploaded the content, but that is another matter entirely.

Them not knowing you are a subscriber is a moot point, and it’s also reasonable that they can’t even be absolutely sure ‘you’ are the one that downloaded it.

IANAL, I don’t play one on TV, etc, etc, ad infinitum.

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**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bittorrent-downloads-beware-hbo-is-watching/369251/23 "2006-08-18T23:21:29Z")

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In using a torrent, though, you are giving the file to possible non-subscribers. You upload as you download, and everyone shares in a great, big, happy socialist paradise.

Just FYI on your planned ‘unsecured network’ defense - most ISPs don’t give a shit if your network is unsecured (IANAL, but I do work for an ISP). Check the T&Cs you signed at startup. Most ISPs (not all, yours may be different, that’s why we check) will have a tiny little paragraph in there somewhere basically laying any and all blame on you, regardless of whether you’re aware of the fact or not.

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