WMU > P2P File Sharing

What You Need to Know About Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

Many people who are using peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharling are doing so, either unbeknownst to themselves, or in ways that result in copyright infringement and thus make them liable for law suits and/or loss of computing network privileges at Western Michigan University.

During the 2008-2009 school year, WMU received 1085 notices of illegal downloads via Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) complaints, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) preservation notices or RIAA pre-settlement, subpoenas, and/or settlement letters. For the first three months of the 2009-2010 school year, 206 notices have been received. When WMU receives DMCA complaints, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) preservation notices or RIAA pre-settlement, subpoenas, and/or settlement letters, they are taken seriously and acted upon accordingly.

Because dealing with these notices this has become a time consuming problem, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) has begun an education process to assure that those using WMU resources (ResNet, the computer network in the residence halls, or WMUnet, WMU's network) to share files, are aware of what they are doing. If you have received a file sharing notification e-mail from OIT, please take the time to review the information contained within the links to the left. If you have any questions, or need any assistance, please contact the computing Help Desk at (269) 387-HELP.