Illegal File-Sharing at UW
Sharing of copyrighted files or other material over the Internet is
illegal and considered theft under the 1976 Copyright Act. If you are
caught sharing files containing copyrighted media content, the RIAA has
the legal capability to sue you for from $750 to $150,000 per offense.
Make sure that you are not one of these individuals by not downloading
or uploading copyrighted material. Illegal file-sharing is not only a
violation of Federal Law, but also of UW Regulation 8-1. Do not be a part of the illegal distribution of copyrighted media over the Internet.
No matter how you feel about file-sharing, understand
that copyright holders will prosecute if you are caught illegally
sharing files covered by copyright protection. UW cannot protect you from any legal
actions brought against you. The Recording Industry Association of
America recognizes no age limits for offenders who file-swap. Should you be caught, you or your
parents could be held liable for fines and penalties associated with
illegal file-sharing.
There are, however, legal alternatives. Commercial Internet sites are
available where media subscriptions can be purchased. Rhapsody
is one alternative where you can subscribe to unlimited music for a
monthly fee. Programs, like iTunes,
have music and television that can be purchased per title, album, or
season. For more video media, you can use Google Video,
click on "TV shows", which has free television shows for viewers. There
are alternatives in the world of digital media other than piracy.
Legal File-Sharing Alternatives
UW does not endorse these sites or their content. They are only
intended to be examples of legal sources of digital media files.