Earlier this month, an Oklahoma City man was arrested for
downloading child pornography using the shared internet connection at his
apartment complex. The situation was brought to the landlord’s attention when another tenant began experiencing problems on the shared wi-fi connection.
When the landlord discovered child
pornography was on the network, he notified authorities.
This case highlights some concerns that come with offering a
shared internet network within a multi-housing unit. First, the only reason the
suspect was identified was because he was the only tenant using a Windows computer. Authorities were able to establish
that a Windows computer had been used in the crime. Had this not been the case,
it would have been harder to identify which tenant was breaking the law. If all tenants had previously passed criminal
background screenings, a landlord
would be hard-pressed to determine which resident was currently breaking the
law.
If you are a new landlord
or property owner who offers free
wi-fi service, it is important to establish some ground rules with your tenants. Did you know some landlords have even been targeted in the past when their tenants illegally downloaded music on a
shared server? You need to make it clear
in your lease agreement that tenants will be liable for any improper
usage of the shared internet connection. You might also want to establish a connection
that requires username/passwords, to determine which residents are using the service
and to deter their temptation to commit any cyber crimes.
Visit ATS Inc's homepage to find out more about our tenant screening services!
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