2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
University network still the wild, wild West
Kevin Robillard
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
On a recent Tuesday night, 700 DC++ users were swapping 29.3 terabytes worth of files - none of them legal. Meanwhile, the Recording Industry Association of America has plans to file lawsuits against eight university students.
Advantage: Direct Connect users.
Even though the university has skyrocketed up from the 28th-most complained about university in the nation for file sharing to the 15th-most complained about, all of the eight students under litigation threats were using file-sharing programs - not DC++, which is dependent on the university intranet. The No. 15 ranking is based on the number of RIAA-filed complaints.
But despite the escalating threat of lawsuits, students in several interviews across the campus said they are downloading songs with impunity, primarily from DC++. And that's just what's worrying the RIAA: Are universities producing an entire generation of music fans that refuse to pay for their songs?
"Everyone that can use DC++ does," said one sophomore.
The Diamondback is withholding the names of all students interviewed for this story to protect them from copyright infringement lawsuits, which can cost, at the minimum, $3,000 to settle out of court.
"I myself, am afraid of [an RIAA lawsuit], but most people aren't," said another sophomore, who said he has not paid for music since the ninth grade.
Another sophomore admitted that he continues to download despite the threat of RIAA lawsuit because "you have to be incredibly unlucky" to be sued.
While the university has been under increasing pressure from the RIAA to crack down on university file-sharers, the RIAA has also been flexing its legal muscles. One of the eight lawsuits the RIAA plans to go forward with was filed Thursday against Nnenna Nwosu, who is being sued by the recording industry for 147 counts of copyright infringement.
Nwosu could not be reached for comment.
Another seven students are still likely to be sued because they did not settle with the RIAA after they received pre-litigation letters offering settlements, generally for around $3,000. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, copyright holders are entitled to at least $750 per copyright infringed.
Advantage: Direct Connect users.
Even though the university has skyrocketed up from the 28th-most complained about university in the nation for file sharing to the 15th-most complained about, all of the eight students under litigation threats were using file-sharing programs - not DC++, which is dependent on the university intranet. The No. 15 ranking is based on the number of RIAA-filed complaints.
But despite the escalating threat of lawsuits, students in several interviews across the campus said they are downloading songs with impunity, primarily from DC++. And that's just what's worrying the RIAA: Are universities producing an entire generation of music fans that refuse to pay for their songs?
"Everyone that can use DC++ does," said one sophomore.
The Diamondback is withholding the names of all students interviewed for this story to protect them from copyright infringement lawsuits, which can cost, at the minimum, $3,000 to settle out of court.
"I myself, am afraid of [an RIAA lawsuit], but most people aren't," said another sophomore, who said he has not paid for music since the ninth grade.
Another sophomore admitted that he continues to download despite the threat of RIAA lawsuit because "you have to be incredibly unlucky" to be sued.
While the university has been under increasing pressure from the RIAA to crack down on university file-sharers, the RIAA has also been flexing its legal muscles. One of the eight lawsuits the RIAA plans to go forward with was filed Thursday against Nnenna Nwosu, who is being sued by the recording industry for 147 counts of copyright infringement.
Nwosu could not be reached for comment.
Another seven students are still likely to be sued because they did not settle with the RIAA after they received pre-litigation letters offering settlements, generally for around $3,000. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, copyright holders are entitled to at least $750 per copyright infringed.
Submit a letter to the editor or post a comment below.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 30
Sarah
posted 9/25/07 @ 10:43 AM EST
Don't you realize that the RIAA reads our school newspaper? Why would we continue to boast about our illegal file sharing prowess when all it's going to do is draw more attention to our school?
SarahisGay
posted 9/25/07 @ 11:13 AM EST
I agree. Terps are fucking morons.
DC++
posted 9/25/07 @ 6:56 PM EST
It would be amazing if the diamondback never wrote a story publishing DC ++ again... it's a resource for students to share music. It lets you keep rather than stream music, and it's safe for us to use. (Continued…)
Plz
posted 9/25/07 @ 8:01 PM EST
Yes, please stop covering this story. I thank you for the first one because it let us know students were semi safe within our own network, but now you're just trying to put things on blast. (Continued…)
Yin
posted 9/25/07 @ 10:42 PM EST
wouldn't it be truly amazing that you would try to make your entry into journalism with somethign that isn't goign to ruin a lot of people. For once, I would love a journalist to focus on an important issue such as the campus safety concerns or the lack of housing in the area or the lack of student participation in the politics of the school in general or about how the commuters adjust to campus and what is being done to accommodate them. (Continued…)
DC++
posted 9/26/07 @ 12:05 AM EST
Bruce, thanks for stating the obvious. Clearly, the RIAA knows of DC++.
The point is increased publicity rubs it in their faces and makes it look like the university, and students are giving the RIAA the finger. (Continued…)
Yin
posted 9/26/07 @ 9:18 AM EST
There was something very very important about the article that was stated in the first sentence of the thing that surely someone as observant as you, Bruce, would have noticed:
"On a recent Tuesday night, 700 DC++ users were swapping 29. (Continued…)
monkeybusiness
posted 9/26/07 @ 11:58 AM EST
you should just leave DC++ out of the newspaper, we don't want the attention and the school doesn't want the uproar
Tranquilibria
posted 9/26/07 @ 2:47 PM EST
i hate you all. seriously. another poorly written diamondback article is gonna do exactly what each previous one has done : absolutely nothing. let the silly kid have his journalgasm. (Continued…)
Yin
posted 9/26/07 @ 2:54 PM EST
@Tennant : *nods*
@Dan: I see you are one to equate filesharing with violent crimes. Way to go.
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