I find this news story very interesting. A student actually faced 3 years of jail time for leeching his neighbor's wireless internet connection.  See the story here...

There is a lot of discussion on the topic, and after reading everyone's comments on the issue, I guess I can see the both side of the coin.

In current times, almost ever household is using wireless internet and this has become a very tricky issue indeed. How many of us are guilty of using a wireless connection just because it is unlocked? People who believe that WiFi mooching is wrong came up with this analogy, just because someone leave his house door unlock, you don't just walk in right? Also if the person who used your wireless connect and perform malicious acts on the internet, they will be traced back to you. Hence I can understand why the Singapore government is taking such a strict stand on it. Many people also consider this as a form of virtual trespassing.

However according to the law, "A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the third degree when he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building or upon real property which is fenced or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders.". So how can anyone who uses a wireless network just because it is unlocked is to be blame? And if the owner does not want anyone to use his wireless network, shouldn't he set up a password? This is equivalent to setting up "No Trespassing" signs all around your property.

Also, my laptop has a tendency to join the highest signal wireless network that is available. Am I at fault just because my laptop has decided to join your network automatically when its unlocked? I believe the punishment is too harsh, a fine would be more appropriate. Unless the person who mooched the internet access has committed crimes while being on that network. I believe that the punishment should reflect the severity of the crime, 3 years for using someone's else internet connection without permission sound like a rather ridiculous sentence to me.



And for owners for wireless internet access, people do everyone a favor and lock your connection. We don't want another young teenager to be cast in jail just because he uses your internet connection which you have so generously left open. It just takes 10 minutes or less to put a password on your connection. And if you do not know how to do so, I believe that most internet service provider are able to do it for you anyway.

As for everyone else, just make sure you used internet connections that is already specified for public use such as wireless@sg. This could save us all from all these drama.