Slashdot Mirror
Ohio University Leads U.S. Colleges in File Sharing
An anonymous reader writes "The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Ohio University leads the nation in illegal music download notifications, having received 1,287 RIAA complaints since September, with between ten and 15 notices arriving daily. The University is attempting to deflect criticism with a PR piece, saying open networks required for academic freedom make it difficult to stop illegal file sharing. They also point out that the University's architecture makes it much easier to determine who is actually sharing the files. This makes a complaint more likely, as the RIAA knows who to target. "
Wrong school. The Ohio State University is in Columbus. Ohio University is in Athens (southern Ohio)
At least the reporters are able to tell the difference between OU and OSU, unlike certain Slashdot-posting idiots I could mention.
Don't blame me; I'm never given mod points.
They're not the university with the most file sharers...they're the university with the most file sharers WHO GOT CAUGHT. The smart thing to do is ensure that most file sharing is within the university, not with outside sources, to minimize exposure to the ??AA. If you're getting caught, you're doing it wrong.
While the MAFIAA would like to rewind time before the Internet, people generally have the desire to share information freely.
Kid: how come we stopped singing happy birthday?
Mom: because Time-Warner "owns" the rights to that, and we don't want to get on the MAFIAA hit list. The cost is far greater than a usual birthday celebration. And, whats wrong with "Good birthday to you"?
Kid: why is the sky blue
Dad: you know, many natural processes can now be patented, copyrighted and generally "owned". My company, SkyTech is patenting that atmospheric prism effect, so I cannot discuss that without revealing trade secrets, and ongoing patented research. Ask your mother.
The reality is that it is not the responsibility of universities to enforce privately-held copyrights. If the RIAA wants to enforce their copyrights, then they should do the investigation, collect evidence, and file suit.
Instead, they are attempting to offload this responsibility to the universities, thereby limiting file sharing AND their own expenses to maximize profit.
Note that an increase of over 2,786% year over year is not explainable by any changes in behavior of the population in question. Instead, it is explainable only by changes in the behavior of the RIAA. The likelihood is that, between 2005 and 2006, the RIAA hired a bunch of writers to fire off 30X more letters than in years' past, so as to manufacture a scary-sounding story that a lazy reporter will swallow.
The quote from Ferris Bueller's Day Off:
Something is going on, and I'm going to find out what it is.
I'm going to catch this kid and put a dent in his future.
Years from now, when he looks back
on the ruin his life has become...
he will remember Edward Rooney (err, RIAA).
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?Ar ticleID=6876