File Sharing

File sharing is an activity many students engage in. This can be done for sharing Linux ISOs in BitTorrent, which is completely legal. However, it often gets more attention for questionable legal activity, such as sharing MP3 audio files.

Since students have a fast internet connection, many take advantage of file sharing services. And since colleges and universities typically have smaller and less technologically skilled legal departments than coporate internet service providers, university students are frequently the target of music industry attacks. Often, students receive letters from the RIAA asking for several thousand dollar settlement offers with music companies. The University had to disclose your identity to the recording industry in order for the student to receive that information, so it becomes a privacy issue on campus. Ordinarily, your rights would be protected by Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, but the RIAA has used subpoenas to bypass this requirement, perhaps illegally (in discovery, via misjoinder).

The best resource to track file sharing issues is Recording Industry vs. The People, a blog written by a New York attorney.