New appliance restricts Internet access of students who attempt to download copyrighted material
By Ame Phitwong
The UP Office of Technical Support and Office of Web Services implemented a new appliance on April 9 called "Copysense" to prevent users, particularly UP students, from downloading and uploading copyrighted material on campus. The University received a grant from Sony to apply toward the cost of the new security protocol.
"The new appliance blocked over one million attempts to download and upload copyrighted material in its first week of operation," Bryon Fessler, vice president of Information Services (IS), said.
Within the first hour of sharing a file, the user will automatically receive an official warning and limited Internet access. The same procedure occurs if a second attempt is made within 24 hours.
After the third attempt, Internet access is suspended until the violated user meets with Fessler. During the meeting, the user must sign an agreement stating that he or she will no longer engage in illegal file sharing. If this agreement is violated with a fourth attempt, campus Internet access is permanently suspended and the person is subjected to judicial review.
According to Fessler, there are currently 28 students at sanction level 1 and one student at sanction level 2. So far, only one student has reached sanction level 3 and had to sign a contract.
This new appliance, created by Audible Magic, was designed to be an educational tool for UP in an attempt to change student behavior and to allow for automatic escalated sanctions for repeat violations. The old appliance, which had been in use since 2005, merely blocked attempts to download and upload copyrighted material. It would automatically discontinue the connection without any warnings.
"The previous appliance blocked millions of attempts to download and upload copyrighted material over the last two years," Fessler said.
University policy states that the downloading and distribution of copyrighted material are violations. No University computers, networks or resources affiliated with UP are allowed to have illegal peer-to-peer file sharing applications installed.
"I personally don't trust the Internet," sophomore Ryan Lien said. Lien said he chooses not to download files online. Regarding the new appliance, "They probably did it in the students' best interest, but also got caught up in all the hype," he said. "Their heart is in the right place."
A copyright is the protection of the original expression of an idea. A copyright infringement occurs when a file is publicly available and distributed without authorization from the copyright owner. Criminal penalties include up to six years imprisonment, up to $250,000 in fines, or both.
UP received eleven notices for the 2006-07 academic year last month from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The letters advised universities of the potential copyright infringement lawsuits against students who download and share files they did not purchase. Furthermore, it asked officials to notify students that they will be sued but can settle cases out of court before lawsuits are filed. The fine was $750 per illegal file and students would then have to sign a document stating that they would cease downloading illegal music.
Fessler said two of the notices came from Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. in response to two students attempting to download a copyrighted version of "Superman Returns."
One of the notices came from Home Box Office, Inc. for a student attempting to obtain a copyrighted version of "The Sopranos." The remaining eight notices came from the RIAA for downloading numerous copyrighted songs.
Sophomore Justus Green said that he would continue downloading files, but not on campus. "They've already thwarted us; it's like kicking a dead horse." Greene believes downloading can help promote musicians and spread the word about them to others.
Fessler said that posting digital music files on the Internet does not promote the artist and that it is distribution.
"It is up to the artist and copyright owner to decide how their music will be heard, distributed and promoted. When someone decides to take distribution into his or her own hands, that decision can impact not only the artist whose music is being taken, but the artists that may have been supported by those sales."
One feature of the new appliance is that it prevents registered works from being traded while allowing non-registered files to pass through, according to Fessler.
"Since Napster closed, over 150 peer-to-peer systems have taken its place. The appliance stays up-to-date on all of them," he said.
Fessler recommends students obtain legal files though available sites, such as Amazon, iTunes, BestBuy, BuyMusic and Artist Direct. More listings of authorized websites are available on the RIAA website.
"The phrase 'don't take things that don't belong to you' is still true today, despite what your friends are doing," Fessler said.
