UCR Launches a New DMCA Notification and Remediation Process for Students
Read about the new student DMCA notification and remediation process.
- Improves communications by alerting students P2P traffic exists
- DMCA Notification Process is automated via the web
- Student Announcement
- Campus proposal summary
Understanding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The distribution of copyrighted materials without permission (over the internet) can be a violation of federal law. The law is known as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 ("DMCA"). Much of the music, movies, video, or games that are downloaded via file sharing networks are distributed without the permission of the copyright owner, and thus these downloads are illegal. The federal government and various organizations (such as the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA) are very serious about enforcing the provisions of the DMCA legislation, and violations can carry stiff fines and potential jail sentences.
What Should UCR Students, Staff, and Faculty Do?
What is the best approach to deal with this issue? Very simply, do not download or distribute copyrighted materials without appropriate permissions. And secondly, if you wish to download copyrighted material, find out how to acquire it legally and take appropriate steps to ensure your computer is not used for illegal file sharing.
Helpful Hints
Understanding the Internet and downloading of music and videos can be a challenge. So much so that some UCLA undergraduates created a video explaining "12 File Sharing Myths." One of the video's creators was actually cited for file-sharing movies over the Internet while he lived in student housing, and recorded "A File Sharing Message to UCLA Student Residents" explaining how DMCA violations happen, how file-sharers will get caught, and what will happen when they are. UCR illustrates the myths described with the "12 Myths of File Sharing" comic.
If you have a specific question about downloading legally, please view these helpful FAQs or email your questions to Larry.McGrath@ucr.edu.