Copyright Infringing File Sharing

Reminder from OIT Security on Copyright Infringing File Sharing

Attention: Faculty, Staff, Students, and other users of University of Maryland computing resources:

The OIT Security Office has writen to urge you to continue using computing resources ethically and responsibly. When university computing resources (university-owned computers as well as personally-owned computers connected to the university network) are used in illegal file sharing via peer-to-peer networks, there is heightened liability for the university in addition to personal risk. Copyright infringement is an item of prohibited conduct in the university's Policy on the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has recently escalated its approach to protecting copyrighted material. In addition to the current practice of lodging copyright complaints against members of the university community under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the association has begun to send university designated copyright agents pre-litigation settlement letters which allow alleged infringers to settle with the RIAA for a substantial fee in advance of a lawsuit.

Please contact Project NEThics at nethics@umd.edu or 301-405-8787 if you have any questions about the legal and ethical use of computing resources.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this information.

Posted: 11 May 2007

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