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Usenet does not have any utility beyond piracy at this point, and hasn't for a long time. If it ever becomes the primary method of piracy (granted, unlikely),

Usenet does not have any utility beyond piracy at this point, and hasn't for a long time. If it ever becomes the primary method of piracy (granted, unlikely), it won't be any problem to simply ban the protocol/implementation. It's client-server, identifying the operators of those servers is trivial, and the legislation to allow the blocking will be uncontroversial and bipartisan. Given that it's all pay-to-play, I doubt that it will turn into a game of whack-a-mole like it is with Z Library. Bittorrent has a little more cover, in that one could make a case that it is used for legitimate purposes occasionally. But they'll probably just outlaw the VPNs that make it safe from litigation.

SparkyMcUnicorn 3y ago
I don't think banning an entire protocol would go over nearly as well as you'd think. If it's legal to ban usenet, then that'll get translated into banning encryption eventually. Right? It's a slippery slope at the very least.
- NoMoreNicksLeft 3y ago
  Doesn't have to go over well. Just has to be effective. China does such shit, and maybe people there silently grumble. At least until the next grimace recognition software update starts dinging their social credit score. Banning a protocol that is 100% used only for piracy will have not nearly enough sympathy among the public or the government for the solution to remain unimplemented. The only thing protecting it is that it's such a shitty protocol and so completely paywalled that most people don't want to use it. Should that ever change...
skrause 3y ago
> If it ever becomes the primary method of piracy (granted, unlikely), it won't be any problem to simply ban the protocol/implementation. Many Usenet providers offer their NNTP protocol through TLS on port 443. If you "simply" block all TLS connections on port 443 some other things might break on the internet.
- wing-_-nuts 3y ago
  Could this be detected with deep packet inspection?

SparkyMcUnicorn 3y ago

I don't think banning an entire protocol would go over nearly as well as you'd think. If it's legal to ban usenet, then that'll get translated into banning encryption eventually. Right? It's a slippery slope at the very least.

NoMoreNicksLeft 3y ago
Doesn't have to go over well. Just has to be effective. China does such shit, and maybe people there silently grumble. At least until the next grimace recognition software update starts dinging their social credit score. Banning a protocol that is 100% used only for piracy will have not nearly enough sympathy among the public or the government for the solution to remain unimplemented. The only thing protecting it is that it's such a shitty protocol and so completely paywalled that most people don't want to use it. Should that ever change...

skrause 3y ago

> If it ever becomes the primary method of piracy (granted, unlikely), it won't be any problem to simply ban the protocol/implementation. Many Usenet providers offer their NNTP protocol through TLS on port 443. If you "simply" block all TLS connections on port 443 some other things might break on the internet.

wing-_-nuts 3y ago
Could this be detected with deep packet inspection?