Industries crack down on internet pirating
Jessica Kumor
Issue date: 10/3/08 Section: News
St. Bonaventure University's Technology Services has received 40 complaints of illegal file sharing from the Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America as of Oct. 1.
The RIAA and the MPAA filed 21 total complaints against the university in fall 2007, Michael Hoffman, executive director of information technology, said.
"If illegal downloading continues at this level or near this level action will need to be taken," Hoffman said. "Already Technology Services, (Student Government Association) and Student Life are attempting to find a way to solve this before we have to take more drastic measures," Hoffman said.
Hoffman did not specify what these measures would be, but said Student Life, SGA and Technology Services are working together to prevent the need for them. Technology Services does not track illegal file sharing. Rather, they receive a complaint from the RIAA or the MPAA informing them of the violation, Hoffman said.
In response, Technology Services shuts the student's Internet connection down without notice and waits for the student to contact them. When the student contacts Technology Services, the student and a member of Technology Services arrange a meeting to discuss the offense. Technology Services erases the illegally obtained files, Hoffman said.
The university currently does not take further action against students who are caught illegally sharing files. However, that may change, Hoffman said.
"The school needs to get across the point that downloading copyrighted material is stealing," Hoffman said. "It is no different than taking something out of a store, and it is only a matter of time before one of our students get sued."
The RIAA has sued students at numerous schools across the nation, including New York University, Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, George Washington University and Indiana University, according to a USA Today article.
The RIAA and the MPAA filed 21 total complaints against the university in fall 2007, Michael Hoffman, executive director of information technology, said.
"If illegal downloading continues at this level or near this level action will need to be taken," Hoffman said. "Already Technology Services, (Student Government Association) and Student Life are attempting to find a way to solve this before we have to take more drastic measures," Hoffman said.
Hoffman did not specify what these measures would be, but said Student Life, SGA and Technology Services are working together to prevent the need for them. Technology Services does not track illegal file sharing. Rather, they receive a complaint from the RIAA or the MPAA informing them of the violation, Hoffman said.
In response, Technology Services shuts the student's Internet connection down without notice and waits for the student to contact them. When the student contacts Technology Services, the student and a member of Technology Services arrange a meeting to discuss the offense. Technology Services erases the illegally obtained files, Hoffman said.
The university currently does not take further action against students who are caught illegally sharing files. However, that may change, Hoffman said.
"The school needs to get across the point that downloading copyrighted material is stealing," Hoffman said. "It is no different than taking something out of a store, and it is only a matter of time before one of our students get sued."
The RIAA has sued students at numerous schools across the nation, including New York University, Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, George Washington University and Indiana University, according to a USA Today article.
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