Students fined $3000 for music downloads

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

<p>I’ve already discussed the subject with my kids but the music industry is cracking down more and more on people who illegaly distribute music downloads. This is quite pervasive on many college campuses and is worthy of a discussion between parent and student.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258041,00.html[/url]”>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258041,00.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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The music industry is asking 50 Ohio University students to pay $3,000 each to avoid lawsuits accusing them of pirating songs off the Internet.</p>

<p>The Recording Industry Association of America asked the university to pass along letters to the students with Internet addresses accused of being involved with the illegal sharing of copyrighted music. The university notified the students on Monday.
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[jmmom]

<p>We also discussed this with DS before he headed off to college. But it’s worth a reminder. College students are almost a sitting duck for a crackdown in this area, as they are such an obvious population of likely music downloaders.</p>

<p>Tulane had a set-up offering free legal music downloads pre-Katrina. Don’t know if they still have it. Don’t know if any other universities have such a set-up.</p>

[Hanna]

<p>Based on my experience, the students are very lucky to have the option of accepting this offer. When these cases go to court, the fees charged to a typical kid with a few hundred downloaded songs can be mind-boggling.</p>

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

<p>Hanna:
You’re right about the damages. The $3K is a settlement amount the music industry was willing to do in this case. Also from the article - </p>

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A letter to one Ohio University student told her that she distributed 787 audio files, putting her total minimum potential liability at more than $590,000. The minimum damages under the law is $750 for each copyright recording that had been shared, the letter said.</p>

<p>Many students cannot even afford the $3,000,

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[smurfgirl]

<p>Use <a href=“http://www.ruckus.com%5B/url%5D”>www.ruckus.com</a>.</p>

<p>That’s what my university does. It won’t stop, trust me. Students just download illegally at home or at off campus wireless internet places.</p>

[WashDad]

<p>Duplicating other people’s copyrighted materials without their permission is a crime. What’s so hard to understand about that?</p>