On 1 May 2012 10:06, geni geniice@gmail.com wrote:
On 30 April 2012 22:56, Roger Bamkin roger.bamkin@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Hi guys,
I'm interested in wifis. We have some concerns about the legalities of allowing anonymous users to use a free wifi system without giving their email addresses or agreeing to terms and conditions. Can't tell you
where -
but you might guess
Does anyone...
Know what the legal position is and any important guidelines that may
apply?
Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the ISP's terms of service are the most obvious.
Talk to a lawyer, that's the best advice.
The misuse of open access points is not well tried in law - but you are certainly responsible for its use. You may also be required to log certain information about the users (which I believe is the main reason most ask for an email address).
And as Geni mentions, sometimes the ISP you are using mandates certain things - such as protected Wifi. So you need to review that carefully.
More than anything it depends on the context; if you are talking about a small endeavour at, say, a meeting venue you're probably alright using an ad-hoc setup. But if you are talking an entirely public network then things are more complex.
To be honest; once you are at that level you should be talking to a professional company anyway, as supplying Wifi of that sort is a non-trivial technical exercise. And they will know exactly what is required.
But; ask someone with relevant legal expertise.
Tom