Editorial: Will new rules stop you from stealing?

It'll be interesting to see how new legislation around copyright infringement affects locals' downloading habits.

Given that many now see access to the internet as a basic human right - rightly or wrongly - you'd think the threat of being cut off would have some effect.

But some of those we spoke to seem to think they'll be safe from penalty.

One said he was but a small fish in the big pond of downloading, with millions of people doing it every day.

Maybe so but with these new rules New Zealand, small fry as it is, is now good fishing for the multinational companies looking to find and punish illegal file sharing.

And there are only so many million people online in this country.

That said, there seems a touch of King Canute about the situation, with the Government attempting to halt the enormous tide of movie, music and software downloads.

There are sure to be examples made of infringing filesharers, and perhaps the odd horror story of the parent, flatmate, partner who was silly enough to sign their name to the broadband account as their child, flatmate, partner lands them in the poo by downloading the latest blockbuster.

And you do have to wonder if the real dastardly culprits will face the music, or will they, as many commentators have pointed out, already have software that prevents their detection, leaving other poor schmucks holding the can.

Whether or not you think the new rules and punishment are fair, they're here, so get used to it.

Downloading may have become a way of life for many, but the fact remains you know it's against the rules - once you decide to continue, it may not be on your conscience, but it may be on your head.