Spring Break
The Digital Citizen Project looks at Internet piracy
Kate Stickelmaier, Daily Vidette Senior Staff
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News
Dean of University Libraries Cheryl Asper Elzy presented the findings and goals of the Digital Citizen Project in order to shed light on Internet piracy issues at ISU.
The project, which is funded by both federal and entertainment industry grants, is currently the only one of its kind.
Sheila Irwin, President of the Friends of Milner Library mentioned the fact that the project has lead to two congressional testimonies, nine presentations at higher education, technology and library association conferences as well as two appearances before the Joint Committee of Higher Education in her introduction of Asper Elzy.
"When [they] started this project three and-a-half years ago, [they] had to practically beg to get in to see some of the association people and lawmakers, while now these same people are upset when they don't get invited to a meeting or event where [they] are speaking, because [they] are pretty much the accepted expert on issues relating to the problems of campus piracy," Irwin said.
Elzy explained the significance of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
"They [the RIAA] send out literally thousands of copyright infringement notices every day, many of them to college campuses," Elzy said. "At ISU, the complaints come in electronic form."
Those students using ResNet are monitored through the system in order to track their Internet usage and therefore, the university is often notified if any illegal activity occurs.
"The real tipping point for me was when we got four subpoenas for students to be sued in the federal courts," Elzy said. "Sometimes, we were receiving 20 and 30 [notices] a day."
While each of these cases, including one student who was subpoenaed twice, were settled out of court, oftentimes, fines incurred at that level reach $4,000.
"They have to make amends before their internet access is restored and their computer turned back on," Elzy said.
Most students comply with the rules by removing the pirated material from their computer the first time they are contacted by the university and even more students do not partake in illegal file-sharing in the first place.
According to the study, in April 2007, of the 3,316 registered residence hall users, around 51 percent at least once downloaded or uploaded a file.
"The 'everybody does it' is suspect on ISU's campus," Elzy said.
Ninety-five percent of the 766 incoming freshman polled in the summer of 2006 and 2007 reported listening to songs on their computer.
"The typical downloader is 20 years old, male and a sophomore living in a dorm," Elzy said. "They don't think they'll get caught…"
The project is funded through June 30 of this year and plans are in place to launch Birdtrax, a legal alternative for music, movie and game sharing for student use by next semester.
The project, which is funded by both federal and entertainment industry grants, is currently the only one of its kind.
Sheila Irwin, President of the Friends of Milner Library mentioned the fact that the project has lead to two congressional testimonies, nine presentations at higher education, technology and library association conferences as well as two appearances before the Joint Committee of Higher Education in her introduction of Asper Elzy.
"When [they] started this project three and-a-half years ago, [they] had to practically beg to get in to see some of the association people and lawmakers, while now these same people are upset when they don't get invited to a meeting or event where [they] are speaking, because [they] are pretty much the accepted expert on issues relating to the problems of campus piracy," Irwin said.
Elzy explained the significance of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
"They [the RIAA] send out literally thousands of copyright infringement notices every day, many of them to college campuses," Elzy said. "At ISU, the complaints come in electronic form."
Those students using ResNet are monitored through the system in order to track their Internet usage and therefore, the university is often notified if any illegal activity occurs.
"The real tipping point for me was when we got four subpoenas for students to be sued in the federal courts," Elzy said. "Sometimes, we were receiving 20 and 30 [notices] a day."
While each of these cases, including one student who was subpoenaed twice, were settled out of court, oftentimes, fines incurred at that level reach $4,000.
"They have to make amends before their internet access is restored and their computer turned back on," Elzy said.
Most students comply with the rules by removing the pirated material from their computer the first time they are contacted by the university and even more students do not partake in illegal file-sharing in the first place.
According to the study, in April 2007, of the 3,316 registered residence hall users, around 51 percent at least once downloaded or uploaded a file.
"The 'everybody does it' is suspect on ISU's campus," Elzy said.
Ninety-five percent of the 766 incoming freshman polled in the summer of 2006 and 2007 reported listening to songs on their computer.
"The typical downloader is 20 years old, male and a sophomore living in a dorm," Elzy said. "They don't think they'll get caught…"
The project is funded through June 30 of this year and plans are in place to launch Birdtrax, a legal alternative for music, movie and game sharing for student use by next semester.
Be the first to comment on this story