Comments on: ISP sends alert to Kama Sutra victims

British-based Easynet follows worm trail, notifies people whose systems may be infected with the virus.

[thenet411]

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

ISPs are NOT responsible for monitoring the data that is transported to their systems. The analogy of comparing Internet access to water pipes is so wrong. I quote:
"ISPs do the equivalent of pumping out raw sewage into your home. You wouldn't expect to have to filter your own water, so why do home users have to filter their own data?"
The analogy that should have been used is the telephone network. The phone company provides you, the end user, with a clear phone line that can be used to talk to anyone or anything that also interfaces with that network. Saying ISPs are responsible for the content that users download is ridiculous! That would be like holding the telephone companies responsible for a little old lady that falls victim to a telephone scam. It is the USER'S responsibility to obtain antivirus software, keep it up to date, and use a little common sense when going through their inbox!
As I have said before, ignorance of this "new digital age" is no excuse for not taking the slightest interest in protecting yourself. The information about how to protect yourself against viruses and phishing is out there. All you need to do is a little reading.

[ross brown--2008]

Er... no...

Whilst I agree that the analogy was dodgy (sewage filtering etc.),
you must agree that an ISP taking steps to protect its customers
is a good thing? Even if (dons cynical hat), it's simply a move to
a) protect the integrity of their own network and b) get some
good PR.

Whilst I agree that it is a user's responsibility to protect
themselves (anti-virus software, whatever), you can't compare
people like me and, I asume, yourself - who read, for example,
CNet's news coverage - to your Great Aunt. The information may
be out there to learn how to protect themselves but they don't
read it. People expect computers to just work and do the job(s)
they spent their hard earned cash on them to do - whether that
be write documents, visit web sites or edit videos. They don't
want (or expect, or understand) that to keep the system working
properly they have to spend half their day downloading patches,
anti-virus signatures etc. Do you spend your time checking the
plumbing on your washing machine? Or do you just expect it to
work?

(As an aside, if I'm honest, this "just damn work" mentality is
what drove me to use just Macs... I'm so much more productive
when I don't have to worry about viruses, spyware and trojans).

Here endeth the lesson,
RB