| Many people have pursued the hobby of downloading | | | | illegal file sharing. |
| movies and songs on the Internet and sharing them | | | | The movie and music industries have stepped in and |
| with their friends and family online. However, this is | | | | are demanding restitution for illegally downloaded |
| direct violation of U.S. copyright laws. Not surprisingly, | | | | movies, music and other forms of copyrighted media. |
| the biggest violators of the movie copyright laws are | | | | They have detection agencies that have the |
| students. The movie industry is sending out copyright | | | | technology to identify and trace copyright |
| infringement claims to college universities around the | | | | infringements straight to their source. Once the |
| country. One reason that college students may be the | | | | computer is located they can notify the university or |
| hardest hit is that they are not aware of how serious | | | | the college that they are in violation. The university will |
| a crime copyright infringement is. | | | | be told that they have a copyright infringement claim |
| Many college students who have lawsuits brought | | | | against them. Based on the Digital Millennium Copyright |
| against them are shocked, to say the least. They | | | | Act, once the computer is isolated, then Internet |
| question why they were not warned about the perils | | | | access is terminated to that computer and court |
| of downloading movies and songs online and passing | | | | proceedings can begin. |
| them along to friends. However, with the rise of claims, | | | | Does this sound far fetched? Well, it is not. You should |
| no one can claim ignorance for much longer. Word is | | | | know that a few years ago Recording Industry |
| being spread near and far that if you engage in illegal | | | | Association of America sued four students. These |
| downloading and/or sharing, then you can be brought | | | | students attended Princeton, Michigan Technical |
| to court. College students are learning the hard way | | | | University and Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. One |
| that it is against the law and in violation of copyright | | | | student had an estimated liability of $150 billion. When |
| laws to share or download copyrighted material. Many | | | | you consider that you can be charged $750 per song |
| colleges and universities now state in their handbooks | | | | that you illegally download, the total can add up fast! |
| that it is against the law to illegally download movies, | | | | The good thing is the lawsuits against the college |
| music and other forms of media using school | | | | students were settled for amounts less than $20,000. |
| computers. | | | | That is not pocket change for college students -- or |
| In addition to illegal downloading and sharing movies, the | | | | anyone for that matter! |
| files take up space on the computer systems and use | | | | Movies and music are meant to be enjoyed. However, |
| a considerable amount of bandwidth. While most | | | | illegally downloading movies and music is not much |
| universities and colleges will not look at the content an | | | | different than walking into a video store and sticking |
| individual has -- they can isolate and identify the | | | | DVDs and CDs in your pocket. Be careful. You do not |
| individuals who are hogging up bandwidth by using | | | | want to be caught violating any movie copyright laws. |