Peer to Peer (P2P) file sharing is a way of exchanging or transferring files over Internet. File sharing involves using technology that allows internet users to share files that are housed on their individual computers.

While P2P file-sharing is fairly generic technology and can be used for legitimate reasons, it is overwhelmingly used for illegally distributing copyrighted works such as music (MP3) or movie files, software, TV programs, books and images without permission from the copyright owner.

The majority of the files shared via Internet are copyrighted works. Moreover, transferring of a file from one person to another results in a reproduction, a distribution, and potentially a public performance of copyrighted material. Using P2P file-sharing technology inevitably leads to implicating copyright law.
Marshall University, faculty, students and staff are required to follow Copyright and Intellectual Property policies and adhere to the guidelines for producing, using and sharing creative or educational works.

Marshall University recently received unwanted publicity as a result of being in the top 25 universities receiving copyright infringement complaints from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). While this publicity alone does not warrant a new policy it makes the issue ripe for policy and procedure application/modification.

University Computing Services conservatively estimates each violation/complaint received from the RIAA costs 1 to 2 hours of staff time to research, and hundreds of complaints have been received thus far this academic year, from the RIAA alone.” (Marshall University Copyright Infringement Complaints Procedure, April 2007.)

Please visit links below for the full text of MU Copyright policies and procedures  and more information on illegal downloading.

Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy
Marshall University Comprehensive Copyright Procedure
Copyright Infringement Complaints Procedure
MU Copyright Education web site
Copyright @ Marshall web site