With LimeWire being the latest casualty of file-sharing services being targeted and eventually taken down by organizations like the RIAA, alternatives are being explored by motivated individuals. One of the more unusual, yet completely immune to such legal action, is called Dead Drops.
Dead Drops are file-sharing locations in the real world rather than a site you can visit online. USB drives filled with data are being installed in walls ready for someone to come along with a laptop and take what they need. They can also add to the store too.
The service is completely anonymous unless someone happens to walk by while you are using a drop point. For the moment it also seems to be limited to New York City as that’s where the creator of Dead Drops, Aram Bartholl, resides. Here’s his explanation of the project:
I am ‘injecting’ USB flash drives into walls, buildings and curbs accessible to anybody in public space. You are invited to go to these places (so far 5 in NYC) to drop or find files on a dead drop. Plug your laptop to a wall, house or pole to share your files and date. Each dead drop contains a readme.txt file explaining the project. ‘Dead Drops’ is still in progress, to be continued here and in more cities. Full documentation, movie, map and ‘How to make your own dead drop’ manual coming soon! Stay tuned.
Through sharing pictures of locations, as well as offering a manual on how to create your own, Dead Drops could start appearing all over the world very soon.
How long will it take the RIAA and MPAA to hire and dispatch a team of anti-Dead Droppers? This team will be tasked with locating Dead Drops on the web and then travelling with a chisel and hammer to remove them.
It may sound crazy, but I bet that would be the solution such organizations would come up with to stop Dead Drops from catching on. With the system so easy and cheap to install this could turn out to be a problem they need to take seriously.
How many people have old USB sticks lying around that could be filled with files and installed in a wall? There’s also going to be some kudos attached to installing the first Dead Drop in your area.
Using one may be risky, though. You have no idea what is contained on the drive until you plug in, so up-to-date security on your laptop and a few initial checks should be done before proceeding.
Although the first conclusion most people will come to is these drives are full of illegal material, they could instead form a useful information point for someone in the area. For example, maybe you are visiting NYC for the first time and want to know somewhere good to eat. A Dead Drop point could have a text file full of directions to local restaurants along with recommendations.
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Originally Posted by Resurrection
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