How Defaults Affect a Variety of Issues (with Limewire Example)
March 13th, 2008 admin
In an article in the Notre Dame Law Review, we have a section on how defaults affect a variety of issues. This post reprints this section with screenshots.The first default setting in Limewire sets the upload bandwidth default to 100%. This setting promotes using all of the computer’s available bandwidth for file sharing.
Another default setting sets the program to automatically connect to the network when the application starts up. This ensures that file sharing starts immediately.
A third default setting treats users with fast computers and Internet connections as an “ultrapeer.” An “ultrapeer” helps other users download faster, but demands a greater load on the user’s computer.
All three of these default settings are used to promote file sharing. However, these are not the only defaults in Limewire. Limewire uses default settings for filtering search results by specific words, adult content, or file types. This setting affects free speech, essentially censoring certain Websites from its users.
Other default settings define the community of file sharers. Limewire has a default setting to share files only with people who are sharing files. Users can set the minimum number of files an uploader has to share. This feature defines the community’s boundaries. It can exclude “freeloaders” or people sharing only a few files. Limewire sets the default to one file and, thus, effectively allows everyone (including “free-loaders”) to share files. 
Finally, there is a default affecting social communication determining whether the chat feature is on or off.
Limewire’s use of defaults demonstrates how defaults can affect a wide variety of issues. As a matter of policy, defaults are good for a number of reasons. First, defaults provide users with agency. Users have a choice in the matter: They can go with the default option or choose another setting. Second, a default setting guides the user by providing a recommendation. However, there may be situations where users do not need or should not have options. We discuss these situations in more detail later, but the key point is sometimes we do not want to give a user choices.
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If the goal is to encourage the use of encryption to secure APs, then the default should be set to enable encryption. Another approach, which is less powerful (but cheaper from the vendor’s perspective) is to use labels and improve configuration software to encourage the use of encryption. California followed this approach with the “Wi Fi User Protection Act”, which had the support of the wireless industry. The law states that: