Leaked MediaDefender Emails Show Student P2P Traffic Down

An anonymous reader writes "The MPAA and the RIAA have been targeting universities in a fury claiming that college students are causing them huge losses. However, some leaked MediaDefender emails show that may be a huge exaggeration. 'I also want to state that I am not for the illegal sharing of files. I am absolutely against it. I just want to make sure that the numbers presented in the media are fair numbers. I have a feeling they aren't fair at all. '"

Actually...

[adona1]

They don't show that student P2P traffic is down, just that the methods that the MAFIAA use to give numbers of students using P2P are flawed and the numbers are probably lower than they say. Given their sterling track record with manipulating numbers, it's hardly surprising. Plus, it really only deals with the Gnutella network, whereas most of the traffic nowadays would probably be using Bittorrent.

Re:maybe there are other explanations

[Hemogoblin]

Well the guy's data [mediadefen...enders.com] is from July, so it seems you're right on that last point.

Re:There's still a lot of copyright infringement

[Millenniumman]

Which still rely on copyright.

Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

[SanityInAnarchy]

If the numbers went down, the MAFIAA will claim that their anti-piracy efforts are working. This means that not only will those anti-piracy efforts not go away, but people are much more likely to take them seriously with their next claim.

If the numbers didn't go down, the MAFIAA will claim that piracy is rampant, and use that as an excuse to do even more DRM, and get even more laws passed for them.

It's called spin. Let me try some of my own:

If the numbers went down, I claim that this proves that piracy isn't as much of a threat to their profits as they thought, and therefore, DRM should end.

If the numbers didn't go down, I claim that this proves that people are so sick and tired of the MAFIAA's bullshit on their legitimate products that they're willing to turn to piracy.

Here's my trump card, though: If we really can't tell who's right, the default position should be consumer freedom.

Re:Problem solved.

[Brian Gordon]

This guy is an idiot

I realize some of the EDU IP addresses may be from a private NAT (Network Address Translation) which enables multiple hosts on a private network to access the Internet using a single public IP address. It is safe to say the numbers are probably a bit higher than the data shows but I wouldn't imagine it would be significantly higher.

My 10000 student school has only a few dozen IPs. Yeah, a "bit higher".

Re:Bogus

[neokushan]

Perhaps it's different in America, but here in the UK there's no financial block to becoming a student. If your family isn't moderately well-off, middle class or whatever, then the government pretty much pays all of your tuition fees for you and gives you just enough money to live on. Just enough.
I know this because I am, in fact, one of these students from a poor background and I know that on multiple occasions I was literally counting the pennies to try and make it through to the next loan instalment. And the real kicker? I don't even drink!