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The Bottom Line on File Sharing at the University of Delaware |
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Violating Copyright is Illegal - Period |
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Protect Yourself: Do It Legally What Do You Think about illegal downloading? |
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You mean someone saw my computer sharing copyrighted material on the internet and reported it to the University? Is this legal? What else can they do?
Since 2004, the motion picture and recording industries have been suing those found to be infringing on their copyrights via peer-to-peer (P2P) networks (LimeWire, BitTorrent, etc.). Violators can be liable for fines ranging from $750 - $30,000 per file - $150,000 plus imprisonment if the infringement is willful. If the University receives a subpoena seeking your identity because the IP address used by your computer or network device (e.g. wireless router) is seen infringing on copyrights, it is required by law to disclose your identity to the courts. Some copyright owners are now sending settlement offers to suspected violators via their colleges and universities. These letters offer alleged copyright infringers an opportunity to settle without further litigation. The letters advise that the copyright owner is prepared to file a lawsuit against the user claiming that it has evidence that the user was infringing on their member's copyrights. The University will forward these settlement letters to the students in question. Those users receiving such letters should consult with their own attorney and the University will not be responsible for providing legal advice.
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