Creates program that aims to help safeguard P2P users against the inadvertent sharing of personal or sensitive data.
The Distributed Computing Industry Association (DCIA), a trade organization which includes a number of P2P and social networking software developers and distributors, ISPs, content owners, and service-and-support companies, today announced an industry-wide program to protect P2P users against the inadvertent sharing of personal or sensitive data.
The announcement of this program culminates a year of work among leading P2P companies and other technology sector participants along with US federal regulatory authorities.
“We are grateful for the participation of industry-leading companies in a collaborative process with regulatory agency representatives that has resulted in an excellent work product. While adoption is a voluntary decision to be made by each company on an individual basis, we are confident of wide acceptance, and will not only encourage, but also monitor compliance,” said DCIA CEO Marty Lafferty in making the announcement.
In order for companies to be compliant with the new initiative they must observe the following rules:
(1) A file-sharing application’s default settings may permit redistribution of files the user downloads if this behavior has been disclosed to users in advance, but it shall not share User-Originated Files.
(2) There shall be a simple way for the user to stop sharing any folder, subfolder, or file that is being shared by using controls provided in a designated share-settings control area of the software that is easy to access (e.g., with a single click) from any screen in the user interface. Instructions on how to stop the sharing of any folder, subfolder, or file shall be clear, timely, and conspicuous.
(3) The Shared Folder shall not contain any User-Originated Files at the point of initial installation of the P2P software. The user must place User-Originated Files and pre-existing folders in the Shared Folder individually.
(4) For User-Originated Files that are made available for distribution by taking the affirmative Steps outlined above, additional protection shall be provided against known instances of potentially-harmful user error.
(5) When the default setting for file sharing has been changed by the user to permit distribution of User-Originated Files in accordance with the foregoing requirements, files with Sensitive File Types shall not be permitted to be distributed via the P2P network.
(6) The user shall be presented with a clear and conspicuous communications (on all screens) specifying the number of files being shared. The user shall be shown a prominent warning when a large number of files or folders are shared.
(7) Developers shall also implement the following principles:
- Disabling of file-sharing features shall be simple to do and explained in plain language.
- Complete uninstallation of the P2P file-sharing software also shall be simple to do and explained in plain language.
- P2P file-sharing software developers shall make best efforts to ensure that as many users of their applications as possible upgrade to the new versions of their software, which contain the features outlined above, as soon as they are commercially available.
- Previously-chosen sharing selections should be reconfirmed by the user upon installation of the new version of the software.
- By default, Sensitive File Types shall not be permitted to be distributed via the P2P network.
- When the user subsequently chooses to upgrade to a different or newer
version then it shall not change the file-sharing settings to be reset by the user.
OPTIONAL – For Added Consumer Protection
(8) When the user chooses no longer to use the P2P file-sharing software, the user shall be able to either a) have a simple way to turn off the software and disconnect from the P2P network completely (with a single-click from any screen); or b) have the software continue to run in the background with clear indication that it is doing so (system tray) and continue to contribute resources to the P2P network to help facilitate content redistribution.
The initiative is certainly a welcome one and is, in my opinion, long, long, overdue. I think it should’ve been a no-brainer form the start that it should make sharing difficult by default so that people are forced to make active, concerted decisions about what files they wish to make available for the world to see.
It may be perhaps that in the past P2P companies wanted to make sharing content the default setting to maximize the size of a given network, but with all the fallout from regular reports of financial and personal information making its way into the hands of criminals using P2P and file-sharing software the choice has become unpalatable.
“LimeWire is committed to providing a great file-sharing product that people love to use and that provides for their personal safety,” said LimeWire’s CEO George Searle. “We have actively participated in key developmental aspects of this program and believe it will help protect users from the inadvertent sharing of personal or sensitive information.”
With Limewire long been responsible for the inadvertent sharing of personal and private data, including a recent report of 2,000 well-heeled individuals including Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Bryer, it’s nice to know that Limewire knows that a problem exists, even if did take 8 long years to figure it out.
Either way it’s nice to know that P2P-related companies are working to make file-sharing safer for all.
Now all they need is a default setting that prevents you from using the Gnutella network in the first place and makes you upgrade to BitTorrent.
