[ale] (OT) schools and filesharing

[Dow Hurst]

Let me clarify:  There is no official policy anywhere that says your 
hardware will be confiscated unless your in violation of software 
licensing or part of illegal activities.  That is a Federal or State 
law.  But, the word on the sysadmin street is to pull your plug if your 
putting yourself and the university in jeopardy.  Here is the email that 
our Director of ITS, John Isenhour, put out to the faculty and staff at 
the beginning of the semester:

Snip---

Recently there has been an increase in the use of file sharing software on campus.  These are mostly music sharing programs that are Napster successors (Kazaa, Morpheus etc).   When you install these types of programs they frequently install servers resulting in a large use of network bandwidth.  This kind of activity can slow network access for everyone on campus.  Kennesaw State University policy does not allow such "bandwidth hogging".
  
The Digital Millennium Copyright Law makes this type of copying illegal, and the RIAA has recently made examples of several students in the U.S., with very significant fines involved.  External sources scanning for music sharing violations consider universities a prime target.  Since KSU carries contributory liability for individual infringement, and since we have policy preventing the use of file sharing software, we cannot allow this type of computing activity.  Although infringers may have little concern for the large record companies, they can be assured of communications with me.

Snip--

Hope you can read between the lines,
Dow


nick travis wrote:

>Do you mean personal hardware?  I'm a student at KSU and I haven't heard
>of this policy.  Is it posted somewhere?
>
>Nick
>
>On Fri, 2003-10-31 at 16:54, Dow Hurst wrote:
>  
>
>>The policy dictated from above to the students here at KSU is that they 
>>better not be found downloading or uploading illegally acquired 
>>copyrighted data (interpret video/music).  Loss of your connectivity and 
>>possibly hardware could result, not to mention getting expelled.  I am 
>>sure downloading music and video happens but much more control on 
>>allowed ports is being exercised.  Plus watching network traffic has 
>>become part of the norm for the ITS department.  The university has to 
>>protect itself from legal repercussions as well as viral attacks.
>>Dow
>>
>>Preston Boyington wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Several of us were talking today about the RIAA/MPAA and new college
>>>students.  Especially the students that come from a dial-up situation and
>>>are now on a T1 connection.  
>>>
>>>What safe guards are schools taking to curb their (the school) liability?
>>>Anyone hear of students being expelled/suspended/fined?  Are schools doing
>>>more to block filesharing, etc?
>>>
>>>Just curious,... really
>>>
>>>preston
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>
>
>  
>

-- 
__________________________________________________________
Dow Hurst                  Office: 770-499-3428            *
Systems Support Specialist    Fax: 770-423-6744            *
1000 Chastain Rd. Bldg. 12                                 *
Chemistry Department SC428  Email:   dhurst at kennesaw.edu   *
Kennesaw State University         Dow.Hurst at mindspring.com *
Kennesaw, GA 30144                                         *
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