Peer-to-Peer (P2P) File Sharing Policy
Nebraska Methodist College Peer-to-Peer (P2P) File Sharing Policy
Methodist Health System (MHS) maintains the computer network that supports the academic and administrative needs of Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) students, faculty, and staff. MHS Internet Access Policy states that all users are responsible for using the network in a professional, lawful, and ethical manner. MHS will monitor the use of P2P file sharing and pursue all violations in accordance to current federal laws and NMC policies.
Downloading copyrighted music and movies from the Internet to a personal computer without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and may result in criminal and civil penalties. Civil penalties may include actual damages and profits, statutory damages (ranging from$750-$30,000 per work that is infringed). The court can also award attorney’s fees and costs. Criminal penalties can include fines and imprisonment. Sharing copyrighted works, as is easily done with P2P programs, also violates MHS Internet Access Policy and the NMC Code of Conduct Policy. Any NMC student, employee, or other individual will be subject to disciplinary action and elimination of internet access upon violation of this policy.
Sharing digital files (such as music, movies, television shows, games, computer software, text, and photographs) under any of the following conditions constitutes copyright infringement:
- You did not create the original work
- The work Is not in the public domain
- You do not have permission to share the work
Peer-to-peer file sharing connects users to a P2P client network that provides a platform for locating and sharing files. P2P users are typically required to install a software program on their own personal computers. Well known client networks include Bearshare, BitTorrent, eDonkey , Gnutella, Limewire, and Morpheus. Risks of installing P2P software include identity theft, damage to the computer and the files on it (pictures, documents, etc.), and the possibility that the computer could be used to send spam or attack other computers.
Beyond the personal risks of P2P file sharing, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) vigorously pursue infringements of copyrights owned by their individual members, as is their right under the Copyright Law of the United States. Under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA), college administrators are required to cooperate in the pursuit of alleged violators. Colleges and universities are under no obligation to accept responsibility for, or to help defend, the activities of students engaged in illegal file sharing.
The following links are used by courtesy of the Wheaton College Department of Technology:
The Higher Education Opportunity Act requires all colleges and universities to offer legal alternatives to illegal file sharing. No endorsements or evaluations are implied. To remove P2P file sharing programs from a computer, consult directions for removing P2P software.
