Everyone loves something for free, or so the saying goes. But as we remind students, (and faculty and staff), downloading or sharing music or movies from the Internet without the express permission of the copyright holder (and yes, it’s all copyrighted) is illegal, and the repercussions can cost a lot!
Across the country, universities are educating their campus communities about this issue. Campus networks are being watched carefully by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) for signs of illegal downloading and file sharing activities.
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) does not “police” the network or regularly look for offenders of our copyright policies. However, when the University gets a report of illegal downloading from a copyright holder, which is typically either the RIAA or the MPAA, we will investigate. This involves tracking down the IP address associated with the offending computer to the registered owner and sending them a notice to remove the offending material (as well as a copy of the original infringement notification). At no time is the copyright holder given a student’s name, since that would violate federal privacy statutes (FERPA rules). Failure to respond to OIT’s notification letting us know the offending material is gone will result in OIT sending your name to the Office of Student Conduct.
The consequences may not stop there. There are constant news reports about how both the RIAA and MPAA have become much more active in pursuing legal action against students, staff and faculty at major universities for illegal downloading– going so far as to subpoena the names associated with the identified IP addresses and pursuing court action and/or out of court settlements. Their tactics are very effective; they have forced hundreds of settlement– some from N.C. State student– and these settlements have proven surprisingly costly. The average settlement was around $3,000 last year.
So while that Fergie song is easy to get and certainly tempting (just this once!), it is illegal. Fortunately, there are inexpensive and easy ways to get music and videos that are legal!
The Office of Information Technology at N.C. State University helps educate students on computer use policies and guidelines, of which downloading and file sharing are a part. All new and transfer students are provided a copy of OIT’s Computing@NC State newsletter and a Help! CD, both of which have information about our computer use policies. OIT also holds discussions with new students about this issue. During every New Student Orientation, OIT provides a presentation, in the form of a “newscast”, that includes a segment about a student who has downloaded music illegally and his activities have been noticed by the RIAA. The segment discusses the steps he must now take to remedy the situation, the costly repercussions of his actions and available legal options for music downloads.
In addition, the campus reminds current students of their responsibilities through public service announcements on WebMail, WKNC, open letters to the campus, articles and Web sites regarding responsible computer use.
It’s important to remember that the software used for file sharing is often not illegal, rather it is the downloading or sharing of copyrighted material using this software that is.
There are many legitimate uses of file sharing software, and State does not restrict network activities that make use of this type of software. As an educational institution, free and open access to the Internet is critical to our mission. However, we all must be cognizant both of the freedoms we have with our network and the responsibility to use it properly. This way, our freedoms will not be curtailed or restricted, as some universities have done to combat illegal file sharing.
For information on copyright polices and other rules and regulations, please see http://www.ncsu.edu/it/rulesregs/.
Should the University further regulate downloads of illegal material? E-mail [email protected]
