MYTH: It's okay to share on the Internet a CD, movie, or game that you have purchased.
In fact, several SU students recently paid $3,000 plus attorney fees to settle RIAA complaints of alleged copyright violations. A single violation-one song, one movie, one game-can cost you more than $3,000. REALITY: Copyright holders can trace illegal downloading or uploading (sharing) of copyrighted materials to your computer's IP address. MYTH: Downloading music, videos, games from the Internet is free and anonymous. Copyright infringement also violates SU's Information Technology Resources Acceptable Use Policy and can result in University disciplinary action against students, faculty, and staff. Violating copyright laws is a serious issue that can result in severe legal consequences. It is illegal to distribute (share) copyrighted materials using your computer without the written permission of the copyright owner, even if you have obtained a license for the material through purchase or rental agreement. It is illegal to download to your computer, copyrighted materials (including music, video, images, games, software, etc.) for which you have not obtained a license through purchase, rental agreement, or written permission from the copyright owner. Peer-to-peer (P2P) filesharing programs, which can be downloaded for free from the Internet, enable people to participate in a file-sharing 'community.' Fact!
