Skype Uses Your Computer to Route Other Peoples’ Skype Calls - 5,736 Views, 5 Comments

Summary: Skype uses your computer's resources to handle Skype traffic which has absolutely nothing to do with you, and it's all completely legal because you agreed to it.

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Skype Uses Your Computer to Route Other Peoples’ Skype Calls Follow Anne on Twitter Friend Anne on Facebook

This may be old news for some, but even if so, it’s worth reviewing again: when you install Skype, you are agreeing to let Skype use your computer to route other Skype users’ calls. It’s similar to the Seti arrangement. When your computer is otherwise not in use (or perhaps even when it is), Skype is using your computer’s resources to handle Skype traffic which has absolutely nothing to do with you.

It’s all laid out quite plainly in their End User License Agreement (EULA), to which you agreed if you downloaded and installed Skype on your computer. But hey, it’s a bunch of pages down, and let’s face it, who ever really reads those things, and even if you do, it’s all legal and technical mumbo-jumbo, right?

Often, yes. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore it.

So, here’s what you’ve agreed to, if you’re using Skype:

Article 4 Permission to Utilize

4.1 Permission to utilize Your computer. In order to receive the benefits provided by the Skype Software, You hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilize the processor and bandwidth of Your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between Skype Software users.

4.2 Protection of Your computer (resources). You understand that the Skype Software will use its commercially reasonable efforts to protect the privacy and integrity of Your computer resources and Your communication, however, You acknowledge and agree that Skype cannot give any warranties in this respect.

Got that?

“You hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilize the processor and bandwidth of Your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between Skype Software users.”

And, you get no warranties from Skype that they will actually protect your privacy or the “integrity of Your computer resources”.

At least now you know.

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5 Comments »

As a Tech, I am scratching my head why anyone would agree to that? But have been keeping my finger nails trimmed and short lately, been scratching my head a lot to what customers do to their computers. They keep my business thriving.

Comment by Mic Nelson — 11/10/2005 @ 2:16 am
I think that Skype is in cahoots with the postal service. The postal service says “sure we will deliver that letter” and then they make you buy a stamp and Skype says “sure we will let you make a call” and then they make you share your bandwidth.
Coincidence. I think not..

Comment by Glen Farmer — 11/10/2005 @ 5:21 am
If Skype users have proper protection against the more normal internet nasties, I can’t see a particularly big problem with the programme using resources that would otherwise go begging. Bear in mind that nothing in this world is free as such; there is always a price to pay somewhere along the line, so in this case users pay it themselves by ‘donating’ their PC’s resources. Seems fair enough.

Comment by Johnny Bramham — 1/7/2006 @ 2:40 pm
besides privacy, there is also the issue of paid internet traffic. You install skype, they use your line and you pay around 100MB/day, if you leave it turned on all day. And they use your disk, it may get 80% used with some crap you don’t need at all.

Comment by pedro carvalho — 5/18/2006 @ 3:23 am
I’ve been using Skype to help students in remote locations and to save gas and travel time to client sites every once in a while.

The talks via VOIP are usually around an hour long, then I disconnect my computer from the network. How can the Skype electons jump from the wall to my computer connection when I’m away from my computer station or I’m not connected? Can electrons jump a gap of several feet?

While I’m online and connected to Skype, I don’t mind sharing some of my resources.

Thanks for your time to read my side of this issue.

Bill

Comment by William — 6/17/2009 @ 8:25 am

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