"By Katy Stech
Published: Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Article Tools: Page 1 of 4

Despite legal threats from the recording industry, SU students continue to burn CDs and download music. And university officials are looking into ways to keep students from getting burned.

Sixty-three percent of Syracuse University students illegally download songs, movies and software from the Internet, according to a study conducted in the fall of 2003 by Computing and Media Services and the School of Information Studies.

But next fall, officials will research the idea of subscribing to downloading services such as Napster and Apple iTunes to prevent potential legal suits against SU students, because students seem apathetic toward possible punishments and a questionably suffering music industry.

So far, only a handful of students have experienced negative repercussions as a result of illegal downloading.

The Recording Industry Association of America has sent SU about 25 letters each month asking that a certain student's Internet port be disconnected because it facilitated illegal file-sharing.

But asking for the names of the students who use file-sharing ports is also an option for the association, which could result in issuing subpoenas and fines, or even jail time. The average punishment is about $3,000.

It's only a matter of time until the RIAA targets an SU student with more severe charges, said Deborah Nosky, manager of IT communications and professional development.

"I think students are gambling that it won't be their name when the time comes," Nosky said. "They certainly will ask us for the names - there's nothing magical about us to prevent it."

After receiving a letter, CMS engineers turn off the student's Internet access until he or she visits the CMS office. At the office, each offender receives a brief speech on the legality of file-sharing and signs a statement to the RIAA stating that they will not illegally download again. "
http://www.dailyorange.com/news/2004/04/21/News/imminent.Lawsuits.Force.Officials.To.Explore.Legal.FileSharing-666530.shtml

"But asking for the names of the students who use file-sharing ports is also an option for the association, which could result in issuing subpoenas and fines, or even jail time. The average punishment is about $3,000."

JAIL TIME???? FOR CIVIL COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT????
How draconian !

listen to a speech on the legality of file sharing? wow, and I listened to my dad too

i live near su i swear if they try to sue me im going to insist that they give me the maximum fine with the maximum jail time to show evryone what the riaa is doing

listen to a speech.. lol. "I see.. I see.. oh gosh that's terrible..."

"The Recording Industry Association of America has sent SU about 25 letters each month asking that a certain student's Internet port be disconnected because it facilitated illegal file-sharing."

THIS PART WAS HILARIOUS. The way it is written, it says the RIAA is sending almost a letter a day, EACH MONTH, asking a certain student's "internet port" (he only has ONE????!!!!) be disconnected. You'd think the RIAA would finally get the hint if they haven't disconnected this student's "internet port" (where did they get that term from...Space Ghost?) yet.

"I think students are gambling that it won't be their name when the time comes," Nosky said. "They certainly will ask us for the names - there's nothing magical about us to prevent it."

I think the students, along with a lot of the rest of the world, simply cant understand how someone could have such a large bug up their ass about sharing music.

Where did this "jail time" come from..nobody has even been before a judge yet. Where did Katy Stech get that information from? ~pepe~

Probably CNN.

or FoxNews *que theme song*

lol, purfus. Yeah pretty much that's what we're thinking. That and the approximately one three-hundred thousandth of a percent chance of getting caught so far =) If only my odds were this good when I play blackjack.

Here's a tip for the RIAA, or any corrupt entity for that matter: ah nevermind. figure it out on your own. Time for you to serve me.

Geez, for the last time: If you put your music online for download, every single song, with no DRM, give the artists more royalties, and stop suing people I'll friggin buy your music again. I know you don't want to give up your profit of $19 for every $20 CD, but trust me, your target market will make it well worth your while. I promise. I'll buy online for the same price as now if you followed those guidelines (.99 per song that is). I know it'll be difficult adjusting to at first... until it catches on you may have to hire a cheaper butler.. but you'll win in the end.

hehe.. apply for itunes all you want.. students wont take drm ridden crap with only 1/2000 th the level of selection

"Imminent' lawsuits force officials to explore legal file-sharing"

those stores are not SHARING.. they are "stores". selection is crap.. prices are high, and drm is strict.

Lol, I have a friend of mine that openly file shares, I asked him once if he was afraid and all since his ISP had been targeted recently. He pretty much laughed at me and said no, in fact he told me if they were to target him, he would take them all the way to court. See, he told me something that sort of made sense, they have no proof, all they have is a picture of your shared files, but thats all. Seriously, think about it, you have to prove at least $1, 000 in damage were done by each individual, how the hell are they going to prove that since they dont trace who downloaded the song/s from you or rather how many? How can they prove it was your computer, or your IP wasnt hacked on that particular day, or that some snot nosed teenager sat in front of your porch and took full advantage of your wireless IP connection while you were out. Fact is they cant, even the courts that have granted their subpeonas have only granted that, a discovery on the individual, but nothing more. They have no case, if they did they would not be settling with anyone for $3, 000, hell they would probably take you to court and sue you for the actual amount they see fit in order to make an example out of you. These law suits are a joke, they have sued 1, 500 people since January, have gotten 228 of those revoked, so far from the first two batches that made up 1, 000, some of the IP's they are looking for, I guarantee they wont find, fact is they are spending quite a lot of money on this, and if by this time, over half the Syracuse Campus still file shares, well think about it, their strategy has failed.

Regarding the whole speech deal, I find it incredibly pathetic that an industry that has an illegal monopoly on music, price fixes, is scandalous, cares little if nothing about its customers and artist, promotes derogatory slangs towards women like "bitches and hoes", signs jailed criminals to record labels, and engages in various other unethical practices does not get the same kind of speech from our government.

AND as Code Warrior has pointed out the RIAA spies had to viloate the TOS which p2p"s have in place on their sites and all the so called evidence has been illegaly gathered!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it seems thier propaganda machine is working.. my sister called me the yesterday and wanted to know if was illegal to download my bands music.. very frustrating that so many people will not download cause they think its illegal...

ronnie71, I have gotten the same thing from folks who were interested in Electric Gypsy. They are afraid that if they download our songs that it would be "illegal" or something. It REALLY pisses me off that the RIAA makes it sound as if downloading music is illegal.
(It has not even been proven that downloading RIAA music is illegal. Hell, in Canada, they recently proved that you COULD download for personal use without breaking the law.)

The RIAA wants to scare folks away from downloading independent music, they secretly WANT you to share thier "flavor of the month" because song-file sharing promotes sales.

The RIAA needs to get out of my damn way.

Shmoo, of Electric Gypsy
Support Local and Independent Music!

"It REALLY pisses me off that the RIAA makes it sound as if downloading music is illegal."

For a few years, they had everyone convinced that mp3s were illegal. Surprise! It was all BS.

ronnie what is your website. I haven't checked out your bands stuff. I'm still not familiar with all the indies here.

As an aside mabey a huge group of independent labels and bands should file a class action lawsuit againt the industry on the grounds that they are actively hurting the indies promotional abilities by lying about this. tell them you are loosing billions each year collectivly in lost sales by not being able to get your music out.

You know what compmore? Thats not a bad idea.Everyone else is suing someone, why can't the indie artists get on the bandwagon?

Universities need to start putting the PeerGuardian Blocklist (though cleaned up some) on the school's firewalls to keep the RIAA bastards from accessing the network.

kwiver.dmusic.com

My mom got mad at me for taking a CD that I purchased and listening to it through the CD player on my computer. She doesn't the RIAA to look and see that there is music "going through" my computer.

Sherm are you serious? haha

It is pretty silly, Sherm, but a lot of parents who make limited use of computers (or absolutely no use) get confused by the media's coverage of lawsuits, FBI music raids, the RIAA/Pepsi commercials, and people like Ashcroft and Hatch screaming about internet piracy. How did you react?

That is true. Some people even have difficulty seeing the difference between their browser and e-mail program. (Such as Internet Explorer and Outlook Express) They just know that it's two different icons to click on to "get them going." That's why some of us are called on to fix things when their computers "aren't working right for some unknown reason."

I try to explain to people why certain programs work as they do. We also need to explain about downloading tunes and dispell the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) that the riaa spreads. More education is needed and it can be done in plain and simple language. Tell them there is no fear when they download our songs under a Creative Commons type copyright. (Yes, some are afraid to download songs now.) Keep on spreading the word.

Even if a university subscribes to music download services and appeases the RIAA, how long before they start gettings threats from the MPAA and BSA?

I see no one's commented on the paragraph about students having to go to the CMS office and sign a statement saying they won't download anymore and it being sent to the RIAA. Well gee, now the RIAA has your name AND your signature so they'll easilly be able to sue you. Someone needs to contact someone as Syracuse and tell them to not sign any statements to the RIAA or else they'll be getting sued.

Niceguy,

Good point. There you have it folks, more BS from the RIAA. The second they end their misleading amnesty program, you're giving them your name this way.

"How did you react?"

I lectured her. Since this started, she has thought the RIAA were a bunch of idiots without my help. But, I told her how it works, and since she was confused I told her the RIAA's goal and how they have to go about doing it since they know they're wrong (see: FUD in pye1's post). I also got her to call Orrin Hatch an obscene name. Then I told her to tell her friends. I was proud. At the end she said we should boycott them I agreed.

the almighty triple post

...and she wanted to make sure the RIAA couldn't "find me" because I visit this site.

I'm not trying to insult her or anything when I say any of this. It's the way a lot of people think about this issue. Firstly, because she never looked for the truth, she assumed she was getting it. Secondly, because she isn't as good with technology as young people are. She taught me well. And she knows what's up now. That's all that matters.