Illegal File-Sharing
Last month, 28 UW–Madison
students received an e-mail from campus officials informing them that the Recording
Industry Association of America (RIAA) had apparently targeted them for illegal
music file-sharing. Out-of-court settlements with the RIAA typically range from
$3,000 to $4,000. The e-mail encouraged the students to talk to a parent, legal
counsel, or trusted advisor to determine what to do next. The university goes
to great lengths to dissuade students—as well as faculty and staff—from
downloading and sharing music and movies without permission, yet more notices
are expected. Please talk with your student about illegal file-sharing. For more
information on the university’s stance, and for help on this topic, visit
http://www.cio.wisc.edu/riaa/.