Albert

Why you shouldn’t use Peer-to-peer applications

or

Why downloading and sharing music is a bad thing

IMPORTANT! 

We are getting notifications that student computers are hosting music illegally on campus from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).  It is ILLEGAL to store copyrighted music on your computer and share it with others.  Suppose you have a number of popular MP3s on your computer.  Even if you got the music legally, if you install a sharing program such as Gnutella, Kazaa, LimeWire, BitTorrent, etc., that program may share those songs over the internet, and you will be in violation of copyright on as many counts as you have songs.  Here are the possible repercussions:

1. You must prove to us that you have uninstalled all peer to peer applications and removed the offending music. (The RIAA complaints list specific song titles.)  

2. Criminal penalties for first-time offenders can be as high as five years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

3. Civil penalties can run into many thousands of dollars in damages and legal fees. The minimum penalty is $750 per song.

Check it out at riaa.org

So, just don't install peer-to-peer applications!  Make sure your music is not shared!