Spring Break
RIAA cracking down on college students downloading illegal music
By: Robert Neely
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
In the past week, Dr. Peggy Scott of the SFA Judicial Office received nine "Cease and Assist" letters from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Each asked her to contact an individual student and inform him or her that unless the student ceases illegal downloading, they will be sued by the RIAA.
In the past three years, SFA's Judicial Office has delivered 183 of these letters. According to Scott, what is shocking about these letters is that they decreased in number during the last semester, showing the RIAA may be about to "step-up." The step-up would be a change from a "Cease and Assist" letter to settlement letters in which the RIAA would sends a letter directing the student to pay a settlement to the RIAA to avoid going to trial.
"These settlements," Scott states, "are to avoid a lawsuit under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 2005 (DMCA). Although our University students are yet to get one, this is starting to happen in other colleges. They haven't hit us yet, but it will be nasty when it does."
According to Scott, the settlement letters state a website where the student can pay the settlement online with his or her credit card.
The S.H.A.C.K. coordinator, Jason Lisenby, said illegal downloading is something that is happening across the campus. "Virtually every computer that comes through (the SHACK) has Limewire installed on it," Lisenby said. "Limewire serves only one purpose, and that is to illegally download files."
In the past three years, SFA's Judicial Office has delivered 183 of these letters. According to Scott, what is shocking about these letters is that they decreased in number during the last semester, showing the RIAA may be about to "step-up." The step-up would be a change from a "Cease and Assist" letter to settlement letters in which the RIAA would sends a letter directing the student to pay a settlement to the RIAA to avoid going to trial.
"These settlements," Scott states, "are to avoid a lawsuit under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 2005 (DMCA). Although our University students are yet to get one, this is starting to happen in other colleges. They haven't hit us yet, but it will be nasty when it does."
According to Scott, the settlement letters state a website where the student can pay the settlement online with his or her credit card.
The S.H.A.C.K. coordinator, Jason Lisenby, said illegal downloading is something that is happening across the campus. "Virtually every computer that comes through (the SHACK) has Limewire installed on it," Lisenby said. "Limewire serves only one purpose, and that is to illegally download files."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Jack
posted 1/31/08 @ 2:13 PM CST
Limewire has millions of files that can legally be downloaded. Many new and independent bands are not under any label distribution restrictions. To say that Limewires only purpose is to download illegal files, is misinformation. (Continued…)
Chris
posted 2/02/08 @ 10:36 AM CST
I suppose BitTorrent has no legal uses either, right? Ignore the fact that many companies use it to take load off their servers to send files for legal purposes. (Continued…)
Nit Pickens
posted 2/04/08 @ 12:41 PM CST
Are these "Cease and Assist" or "Cease and Desist" letters?
casey
posted 2/05/08 @ 11:05 AM CST
i got caught. The letters are cease and pay us money or we will take your butt to court.
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