B&Bs are being warned that unless they secure their wireless networks they could be liable for criminal activity under new laws brought in this year.
In Wales alone, reported cases of e-crime have more than doubled in the past 10 years, according to the country’s tourist board, and the Digital Economy Act, which came into effect in June, makes network providers jointly responsible for an offence.
Visit Wales, together with e-Crime Wales, has sent out a fact sheet to tourism businesses, including B&Bs and other accommodation providers, containing instructions on how they can protect themselves.
e-Crime Wales’ police manager Andrea Barnard said: “If guests act illegally online while on a B&B operated user network, the responsibility for any unlawful activity rests with the network owners, the business itself.
"If a guest has not signed a terms and conditions document in order to gain access to the network, and downloads indecent images of children, for example, the B&B will be held as liable for this action."
The new fact sheet, which is also free to download, gives step-by-step directions on how to add passwords to limit online access, write disclaimers and encrypt networks to make them more secure, all of which it says will protect against illegal activity.
For further information or to download the fact sheet, go to www.ecrimewales.com/tourism
By Linsey McNeill
