How do internet service providers (ISPs) track illegal file sharers?

Question

I have read news reports of ISPs being able to track computers where music, movies etc have been illegally downloaded using p2p networks. In some countries, the music industry want laws to be passed that allow them to track illegal file sharers and sue them.

My question is, how do they do this? How can an ISP differentiate between a file illegally downloaded vs a file legitimately downloaded using file sharing, and find out the identity of the file downloaded (ie, find out the file downloaded is an MP3, MP4, file etc)?

Because, if you use LINUX for instance, there are LINUX stuff like LINUX operating systems that are most conveniently available for download using p2p network (because of much faster download speed). I wonder if it isn't possible for ISPs make a mistake and unfairly screws someone not illegally downloading a file using file sharing.

Answer 1

They track your network usage.

Answer 2

Your ISP has the capability to see EVERYTHING you do, if it so chooses. They can see all the sites you visit, the info (search terms and the like) that you send to websites, what you download and from where... the list goes on. Most ISPs don't currently monitor this because they have no reason to. What the music, movie and gaming industries want is for the law to force ISPs to monitor exactly this kind of thing in order to catch illegal file sharing.



For reference, the way most people are caught sharing illegally at the moment is by third-party 'internet detectives' which are nothing to do with your ISP. They monitor file sharing websites, and gather the IPs of people downloading files that their client (music/movie/game publisher) doesn't want shared. There are usually thousands, so the client usually throws all the IPs into a 'hat', and chooses a certain number at random to try and prosecute. The idea is that the few that get prosecuted act as an example to everyone else.

Answer 3

Actually they can't. Only private companies[There was one in France last year] that was collecting IPs and information on wich tracker they were connected, but that's privacy violation so they had to end it's activity. If you worry about your Isp tracking you while downloading copyrighted files, go to an Internet-Cafè or something and download it there. Or if your using p2p software you can enable the "Protocol Encryption" reducing the risks.

They can only see what websites/links you visited. Using a direct download it's risky unless the file's name is something else.

Answer 4

They can, but in most (developed) countries it is an invasion of privacy to snoop into a person's browsing history. In the US, the ISP cannot prosecute you by looking into your history unless they get a search warrant first. So yes, thank the gods that you live in a civilized country, but if you were in China or North Korea, I'd be verrry careful.

Answer 5

They can track your network easy.