University File Sharing Policy Extension
Uploading or downloading copyrighted songs, movies or software without permission from the copyright owner or their agent is illegal and is a violation of the University Network Access Policy.
Copyright holders and their agents - e.g., the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), have recently begun taking an
active role in seeking out and prosecuting students who they suspect are
illegally sharing copyrighted materials over the internet. Lawyers representing
the RIAA have started issuing subpoenas to universities seeking the names and
addresses of those students who have allegedly violated federal copyright laws. WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY
Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications, such as KaZaA, enable you to share music, movies and other digital files with computers all over the world. If you use P2P to share copyrighted songs, movies or software without permission, you are breaking the law. It is like stealing, and you can be caught and prosecuted according to the law and subject to University student judicial action. You are responsible for what your computer does on the network and you will be held accountable. It may have been "OK" to download files at home, but it's not OK here. You may know many others who swap files, but just because they do, doesn't make it right. Your use of this type of software raises important issues regarding copyright law, bandwidth consumption and security.
Copyright Law
Copyright laws were enacted to protect the original expression of an idea, whether it is expressed in the form of music, art or written material. A number of rights are given copyright owners by Federal law. These rights include the right to control the reproduction, distribution and adaptation of their work, as well as the public performance or display of their work. Many states have laws that support the federal laws and often go further to address piracy.
Existing
copyright laws are
as valid online as they are offline.
By using applications such as KaZaA or mIRC, your computer may also be running as a "server" from which others can download files. Running a server from a dorm room is a violation of the University Network Access Policy. The University receives notification from copyright holders and their agents when computers connected to its network act as "servers" for pirated music or film. The University is required by Federal law to respond to each such notification. As noted above, the University is required to disclose your identity to copyright holders if they request it through a court-issued subpoena because they suspect your network connection of copyright violations.
Bandwidth Consumption
The University network exists to support its teaching, research and service missions. Uploading or downloading large movie or music files strains the network and degrades response time. Everyone in the University community relies on the network to get work done. Excessive bandwidth usage adversely affects network performance. It is a violation of the University Network Access Policy and can result in termination of access to the University network services.
Security
Sharing files with P2P applications can open security holes for malicious programs to enter your computer. Hackers can steal files, erase files on your hard drive, plant worms, viruses or trojans and use your computer to attack others or serve copyrighted files out to the world without your knowledge. Because file-sharing applications differ in how much security they offer, it is important to educate yourself and exercise caution. Remember, you are responsible for the security of your PC. You will be held accountable for what your system does on the network whether you have knowledge of it or not. It is recommended that all users educate themselves about the basic steps to secure their PC's, and consciously choose to be a good citizen in cyberspace.