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Legal Use of the Internet

New Â鶹´«Ã½ City University's published responsible use policy and procedures clearly require members of the University community to use electronic communications and computer resources made available through the University in a responsible manner, including but not limited to legal and appropriate use of copyrighted materials.

Illegal downloading of copyrighted material is considered theft!

It is important to realize that downloading copyright protected materials, without obtaining the consent of the copyright holder, is against the law and considered an illegal act.

Â鶹´«Ã½ is committed to educating the University community to be aware of the legal options for downloading and sharing music, movies, and other digital media.

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Â鶹´«Ã½ Technology Policies, Procedures and Related Guidelines

• Responsible Use of Computing Resources (PDF)

  • General Principles and Guidelines (PDF)

• Peer-To-Peer Networking Policy (PDF)
• Copyright Policy & Related Guidelines (PDF)
• Code of Conduct (PDF)

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Additional Resources

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• (wired.com)

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Legal Alternatives

Legal Music Sites

Legal Movie and TV Sites

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is an organization which represents most of the major record labels. The RIAA monitors many P2P networks and other types of file sharing web sites in an effort to identify the IP address of each user and potential offender. An organization called the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) also is involved in a similar activity for the film industry.

The RIAA and MPAA are not government organizations, but do work closely with enforcement agencies in cases involving the violation of copyrighted materials. Both associations monitor the internet daily for websites and services that offer music and videos without regard to intellectual property and have taken legal action against individuals, as well as the companies who try to bypass current copyright laws.

A major objective of the RIAA and MPAA is to safeguard the intellectual property rights of artists and producers (i.e., illegal copying and sharing of copyrighted material). There are legal and financial consequences for illegal downloading. The illegal distribution of copyrighted material may be subject to criminal and civil penalties ().

So, make sure you "Keep It Legal" when downloading music and other digital media!

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Watch and Listen - "Protect Yourself: Do It Legally"

You'll enjoy this short video. It provides very specific and useful information.