SCN: Kazaa

[Steve]

x-no-archive: yes

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(David Coursey, ZDNet)---Brilliant Digital Entertainment is the 
latest in a string of companies that seem to think Internet users are 
stupid. In this case, stupid enough to let Brilliant take over your 
computer for its own gain--without compensating you. Don't let 
them!  

Here's the story: Brilliant has been distributing its 3D advertising 
technology along with Kazaa's file-swapping software since last 
fall. But recently Brilliant started sending out additional software 
that would turn every computer running Kazaa into a node on 
Brilliant's own network.  

We know this because ZDNet's John Borland uncovered the story 
yesterday while reading a federal securities filing in which Brilliant 
described its plan to use end users' computers for distribution and 
file storage. It might also siphon off your unused processing power 
to have your computer do work on behalf of Brilliant's clients.  

Brilliant's clandestine network is based on a piece of software 
called "Altnet Secureinstall," which is bundled with the Kazaa 
software. That technology can connect to other peer-to-peer 
networks, ad servers, or file servers independently of the Kazaa 
software, and can be automatically updated to add new features.  

While Brilliant promises that customers will be given a chance to 
opt-in (or not, I suppose) before the network is turned on, and that 
some compensation will be offered, the company is under no 
obligation to do so. That's because buried in the fine print of the 
Kazaa user agreement is the following:  

"You hereby grant (Brilliant) the right to access and use the 
unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s 
and/or Internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content 
and use in distributed computing. The user acknowledges and 
authorizes this use without the right of compensation."  

You have to agree to those terms before you can use the Kazaa 
file-swapping service.  

My bet is that the company really will offer some trifling incentive 
for people to opt in--forever--before turning on its network. But that 
deal is one-sided: You have no way of knowing what your excess 
bandwidth and processor power is actually worth. Maybe Brilliant 
should give everyone who opts-in a share of its stock so everyone 
can share in the wealth the company hopes to create.  

Beyond questions of propriety and security--is the software safe 
from hackers?  You have to wonder - how are we supposed to 
trust Brilliant when they've already snuck their software onto 
millions of machines?  

Brilliant is not the only company trying to pull some version of this 
trick on users. Kontiki and Red Swoosh are also in the business of 
using other people's machines and bandwidth to distribute their 
own (and their clients) content. I don't know enough about these 
two companies to toss them into the same pile with Brilliant. But I 
suspect they are very close.  

Maybe someday a company like Brilliant will be honest with us, 
explaining its intentions upfront, and giving users a chance to opt-
in and receive fair compensation in return if they do. When that 
happens, maybe we will decide to say yes to the offer. I can't 
imagine why we would, given the privacy and other risks involved, 
but at least we should be given the chance to consider the offer.  

But since Brilliant has already missed the opportunity to be candid 
about its plans--and the software it's installed on millions of users' 
machines--I urge everyone to dump Kazaa and, in the process, 
send Brilliant packing. In doing so, you'll be protecting your 
computer, the Internet, and sending a message to slimeball 
companies about what is--and isn't--acceptable behavior.  


Copyright 2002 CNET Networks, Inc.





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