Illegal downloads draw music industry’s attention
Downloading music is part of many students’ lives, but it could put them in financial danger if done or shared illegally.
USU has been receiving an increased number of “take-down” notices since school began. These notices are from the recording industry and say users are illegally sharing music.
Bob Bayn, team coordinator for Information Technology, said 112 notices were reported during the spring and summer semesters. This number equals out to 14 per month.
In contrast, 29 notices have been received by Bayn since school began less than a month ago. While most of these numbers deal with music violations, there are also notices from videos, movies, TV shows, games, software and books, Bayn said.
Earlier this year, the recording industry began to focus on catching those who have downloaded music and have it available to others illegally. The Recording Industry Association of America is using users registered through universities, and when users catch others with illegal business of sharing with others, a “take-down” notice is sent, demanding the music be removed or unshared.
Prelitigation notices can then be sent to the school. This is similar to a prelawsuit agreement, and users are given the opportunity to settle out of court by paying their fee over the Internet. If they choose not to do this, they must take the lawsuit to court and settle it there.
“I was actually a little bit surprised that the increase in complaints really was just from the RIAA,” Bayn said. “But they are the group that is making all the waves and getting all the news coverage.”
While USU has not received any prelitigation notices to this point, Bayn said he has seen them and how much they cost the user. The minimum is $750 per recording and can be quite large when users have a library full of music.
ASUSU Director Tiffany Evans stressed the importance of downloading music legally and keeping it unshared at a recent ASUSU meeting. Evans told the council iTunes was basically the only way to go.
An ASUSU computer was cited as one to receive a “take-down” notice, Bayn said, and Evans said all music will be removed from ASUSU computers if the action continues.
Students can avoid this risk by making sure their music is downloaded legally and they are not sharing it or allowing others to access it. The program Ruckus has been recommended by the IT department, as it allows students to download music legally and for free.
-alison.baugh@aggiemail.usu.edu