UP UNTIL two years ago, I left my home wireless network unlocked.
It wasn’t by accident either.
I had simply thought it would be a nice, neighbourly gesture, since I live on a second floor apartment that overlooks the children’s pool.
This meant my network should be in range of parents there keeping an eye on their kids at play.
Might even keep those cute girls in bikinis sun-tanning there longer… I kid, I kid.
But there were people there every weekend with their notebook computers open, and I’m sure some made use of the free Internet I offered. Watching them from my window gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Then, in 2006, I covered the trial of then-17-year-old Garyl Tan, accused of illegally tapping his neighbour’s wireless network.
Overwhelmingly, the reaction online was: Tan did nothing wrong, people who did not secure their wireless networks are “asking” others to use them.
Later that same year, the police raided the homes of seven users for downloading music.
This created another online uproar, with many pro-file-sharing users recommending that those who want to continue downloading music and other materials do so using someone else’s network, to make someone else their fall-guy.
Several days after those recommendations began appearing online, I removed my wireless network.
I got the message: Few, it seem, are likely to have any sympathy for those who do not lock up their WiFi.
Since then, there have been more reports of crooks abusing unlocked WiFi networks to commit crimes, and many hacking and file-sharing sites recommend using such networks to pin the blame on someone else.
Now, I’ve no issue with people that want to flame their bosses online, post naked pictures of an ex, download Quantum of Solace, hack some video game account to steal magic swords or run Nigerian scams.
These events happen all the time anyway, as anybody who spends any time online would know, and I could not care less. It's their business, and who am I to judge their actions anyway?
But leaving my WiFi open means that I might get caught in the crossfire if their boss, ex – or worse, the police – decided to take action.
And while I would probably be able to clear myself eventually, it’s certainly trouble I can live without.
So call me chicken, but no thanks.
I might be less neighbourly now, I might not get that warm and fuzzy feeling anymore. But at least I won’t be collateral damage either.