What is Digg?179 Comments
- signal15, on 10/12/2007, -6/+91Quick, plug in an open wireless access point.
- Hawker400, on 10/12/2007, -1/+64Apparently 25k a year doesn't buy you anonymity on the internet.
- simpleid, on 10/12/2007, -18/+75You'd fork over future physicist (potentially) over some .mp3's, this is like science giving in to The Church. Don't do it!
- kutsal, on 10/12/2007, -15/+64I was going to be applying for a master's degree @ UofM...
Now I'm going to have to find another institute of _higher_ _education_ that will not bow down to these lowlifes.
I'm only hoping there will be others who will withdraw their graduate school applications because of this. - thanks, on 10/12/2007, -3/+31I received this e-mail two days ago, and it was the first time I actually wished that I owned a blog.
@mcatrage
This isn't new. There's hundreds if not thousands of cases of the RIAA harrassing university students with the universities cooperation. - whiledo, on 03/25/2009, -3/+25The title/summary seems to be inaccurate. The actual e-mail only says:
"The RIAA has designated these individuals through IP addresses, and the University is in the process of identifying and notifying them."
The "them" in this case are the individuals, not the RIAA. They are "identifying [the individuals] and notifying [the individuals]". - bassfanatik, on 10/12/2007, -3/+22Why college students? We don't have money or the resources to fight the RIAA, so they target us. If they wanted money for this, they should target some other demographic. Now students are going to be taking out loans to payoff the RIAA. What a joke. ***** bastards.
- zigziggityzoo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19they aren't notifying the RIAA, they're notifying the students.
I got this message too. The article is misleading. - simpleid, on 10/12/2007, -6/+24The 'crime' depicted by this 'law' is nothing more than a delusional aspect of a very low IQ portion of society who struggles over 'cash value' and meaningless material greed (and I'm talking mostly about a perception depicted by political puppets and the influence of media freaks obsessed with money, aka 'musicians'). What's your -real- philosophy, HUH? HUH?
Idiots! People's lives are being -ruined- over -literally nothing- (a series of 4,000 byte electronic documents). Am I the only one who thinks the 'balance' of 'justice' is a little skewed in -reality-?
The 'law' needs to wake up to reality, especially to what it allows corporate asshats to do to anyone they target. - bassfanatik, on 10/12/2007, -7/+25Haha yeah.."I don't know how to...uh...set up the security on my wireless..uh...router. I didn't know poeple could steal my internet?!?"
- armynixon, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19You mean to say universities are in bed with big business? Now this is news.
- Captbob007, on 10/12/2007, -14/+29We all know Michigan students/alumni eat their young anyways.... Doesn't surprise me that the school would do it too.
- VipeNess, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16' But it does buy you a new car ! ' : Bob Barker Style
- goldenbrowngod, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14I will happly not give U of M any money.
it's not like I was giving my alumatter any cash anyway, but at least now I can say I'm doing it for a cause. - jhbarr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12Anyone who actually thinks the RIAA is there to protect the artists is kidding themselves
- bcorsi, on 10/12/2007, -7/+16the real crime is what they charge for dvds and cds. new dvds coming out are 30 bucks. you have to be kidding me. Do they expect that to slow pirating down? The pricing model they are using is pushing people towards the activity they are trying to stop. Look at the sales statistics. People buy more dvds at 5 dollars than they do at 20. People will wait till it goes to 5 dollars or go online, or a local blockbuster. Music is even worse. The new cds out have a single good song on them. On Itunes if there is a song that is in high demand, they wont let you buy it unless you buy the whole cd. They do this because the rest of the cd is probably garbage. I understand the argument that it is still a crime whether you think prices are high or not, but maybe it should be a sign that the current model is not working and they need to try something new. Right now they are trying to fix the problem with lawsuits. that wont work. time to fix themselves.
- ryannerd, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12In this instance the RIAA only sent a letter to the university that it intended to sue. The university should have done the right thing, and responded with a letter indicating they intended to protect the privacy of its students. Also, they could claim that they keep no logs of user/internet activity, nor are they obligated to do so -- IP fishing is inaccurate and ineffective. Tell the RIAA to take a hike!
- SamuraiPanda, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9The title of this article is FALSE and the article itself is very misleading. The email was sent around a month ago, and the information is presented by the author in a way to get people to digg it up... He is just trying to get more traffic to his blog.
I am a student of UofM, and I've been caught for copyright infringement by LucasArts, Universal Studios, and NBC for downloading various games and movies (some of them linked from digg no less). But guess what? UofM covered for me. They kept my identity a secret from these companies and refused to give them my information.
UofM holds the same policy towards downloading music as they do games/movies (all DRM violations are handled in the same way). If you are caught then they will cover for you, issue you a warning, and start the punishments (your internet is taken away) if you continue to be caught after the second warning. The purpose of that email was to inform students that there is a higher chance to get caught by the RIAA now, and they gave the details of what WOULD happen if the RIAA caught you so they could give a little scare to the less computer savvy people (evidently like the author of this piece).
I've buried this article as inaccurate. - jhbarr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9I wonder if you could pressure the universities to not give up names by getting a group of alumni to commit to not give money for every name the University turns over to the RIAA. It would probably be easy to setup a campaign to do this and it would give the University an actual incentive to not cooperate. Also, the money not donated could be used to set up defense funds or donated to the EFF.
- dfsiii, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9If it's in the dorms, they can. They map MAC addys to student uniqnames (login identifiers) and to the IP address they use in the dorms. They know who you are.
- JrunkDunc, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11My University is actually Anti-RIAA. While they do require students to have their computers scanned for copyrighted material if contacted by the RIAA, if the Copyrighted material that the RIAA says was downloaded is not found then they actually file complaints against the RIAA with the federal Government. This is in my belief the best way for a university to handle these situations.
- bashar129, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8I take it someone is a spartan?
- GeneralAntilles, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Because richer demographics have enough money to high lawyers and take the RIAA's collective asses to court.
- billbillbilly, on 10/12/2007, -10/+17the problem here is that the RIAA will sue the school instead of the student if they do not give the kiddies up. and a university is still a bussiness, do you expect your ISP to protect you from the RIAA too?
- Szandor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Yet another reason that I will never, ever again pay for RIAA music.
riaaradar.com
boycott-riaa.com - eliotvb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!
This is Eliot Van Buskirk, the guy who originally posted this news on the Listening Post blog. The University of Michigan is NOT identifying students to the RIAA, as I mistakenly posted yesterday. I have corrected my post. Please join me in burying this post on Digg for inaccuracy.
Thank you,
Eliot Van Buskirk
http://blog.wired.com/music/ - Amablue, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10Even though I disagree with the law and the way it's set up, I do agree that if you break it you should be punished.
However, the punishment should fit the crime. One day I parked outside my university and didn't put enough cash in the meter (I wasn't driving my own car, so I couldn't use the school parking lot). When I got back, I had a fine for about $40. I sucked it up and payed. I deprived them of maybe a dollar, and payed 40x that. A steep price, but I deserved it I suppose.
Now, if I download a song (only about a dollar off iTunes) should I be expected to pay thousands of dollars and have my college career ruined? That doesn't make any sense at all. A fine of a hundred dollars or so would get most people to stop I think, which is already more than I think should be fined but at least it would be tolerable. - joslynphilips18, on 10/12/2007, -6/+11This is crazy. I blame the school, but (for some reason) the RIAA is really pissing me off lately.
These guys are out of control. I read the article yesterday, where they were suing someone who didn't even own a computer. And, I'm a msucian, so I definitely noticed that they were trying to reduce royalty payments:
http://advancedmediacommittee.typepad.com/emmyadvancedmedia/2006/12/what_comes_firs.html
These guys are crazy.
- Joslyn - N1XUK, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Ignoring the entire RIAA debate....
Its the Universities duty to stop illiegel activity carried out by its users. Child Porn, Mp3s or otherwise.
At my uni here in the UK, P2P in rooms is banned, anyone found doing so has net access blocked for a weeks as punishment. Same goes for having a wireless point in your room due to potentil wireless security issues.
However the uni does turn a blind eye to DC++ content bouncing around campus... - Disillusion, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6@bcorsi: That would imply that they had a basic understanding of economics. Unfortunately classic rules of supply and demand don't apply to monopolistic situations and they realize this. The government really needs to get out the anti-trust stick again, it has been collecting dust for far too long.
- kurtwinter, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Since when does anyone expect any kind of justice on public college campuses? When I went to a crappy state college, if you failed to appear at a hearing, staffed by student employees, you were automatically assumed guilty.
So this really doesn't surprise me. They don't understand the concept of due process, of implied privacy expectations nor of constitutional justice. Also, they are stupid, and easily manipulated by the police like appearance of the RIAA, and believe that it is somehow right to hand over private data about their student body because the person asking looks like a cop. - williamdyer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Dude, your university is paying for this internal narc to be a "Digital Millennium Copyright Agent." Anyone who is actually proud of a title like that should be run out of town. Like after the 47th flat tire she might take a hint.
- CarolynMittens, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5what university is this?
- imacyco, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I received the same email. UMich is only informing the students so the lawsuit is not a total surprise. Buried as inaccurate (the title of the story is way off from the facts).
More Digg FUD. - DontSayFanboy, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8Carolyn:
I think it's pretty sad that you would consider access to free songs a strong indicator of a good college. I think you should save your parents a whole bunch of money and go to college at the coffee shop down the street. - ChumpChief, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Then they shall litigate in the shade!
- THess944, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I hate to hijack the first post, but as a U-M Engineering Student who actually received the email (full text below), I cant tell you that this article is simply FALSE. I must clarify:
The RIAA is not being given this information. The students in question have been warned and are being protected by the University. U-M has done a great job protecting its students, and the Student Legal Services dept. here goes to hell and back to watch out for us.
Full Text of Email from University:
For your own benefit and edification, please take a moment to read this message.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has recently increased its efforts to curtail unlawful peer-to-peer file sharing of music over the Internet. As part of this increased effort, the RIAA has begun to target college students specifically, which means that students who engage in unlawful peer-to-peer file sharing are more likely than ever to be identified and sued by the RIAA. Most students have settled these lawsuits out-of-court, typically for $4,000-$4,500.
This past Friday and Saturday, the University received notification that the RIAA intends to sue or receive settlement from more than a dozen members of the U-M community, whom the RIAA designated through IP addresses. The University is in the process of identifying and notifying these individuals.
The University of Michigan does not condone unlawful peer-to-peer file sharing. Students who engage in it are violating a variety of University policies including the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities; the Proper Use of Information Resources; and the ResComp Conditions of Use.
Students who have installed peer-to-peer file sharing programs on their computers and are concerned that they might be unwittingly sharing files should visit the University of Chicago's useful webpage that describes how to disable file sharing on a variety of programs (http://security.uchicago.edu/guidelines/peer-to-peer/).
The University of Michigan maintains a web page (http://www.copyright.umich.edu) that describes the U-M's position on illegal sharing of copyrighted materials and also includes a growing list of FAQs. All members of the University community are encouraged to study the materials on this page.
Lawful downloading of music is possible through sites such as Apple iTunes, MSN Music, Rhapsody, Ruckus, etc. Details about a number of these sites are available at: http://mp3.about.com/od/wheretobuymusic/a/all_profile.htm and http://mp3.about.com/od/freemusicdownloads/tp/freeandlegalmp3.htm.
Teresa A. Sullivan
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
E. Royster Harper
Vice President for Student Affairs - powerpants, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Except they don't have a monopoly. It's easy to find a competing business model. As a musician, you create a website with free downloads of all your songs and a paypal link for tips. "If you like what you hear, how about helping to keep me making music?" If I could pay $5 directly to the artist, I would be glad to, and it would be a lot more than they'd get if I bought their CD. Even $1 would be more than the royalties on a single CD sale.
The recording industry is, in fact, a dying beast. We are witnessing its death throes. It's time for a new distribution model. - Daisuke, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5@socaldissident
it was 20 out of 150 points total for "underrepresented racial-ethnic minority identification or education", and that changed with the 2003 lawsuit. however, to your credit, the essay was worth 1 point.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/15/bush.affirmativeaction/ - m0nk, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Doesn't anyone use a BitTorrent client with encryption on an off port? This is the perfect place to do that, considering what's happening...
- nightstrm, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Umm, don't download illegal MP3s?
- seether166, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4@markthewiz
I'm sorry, I read both your posts as, "Hi, I enjoy comment abuse. Please go bury my article because I'm the people that ruin Digg." I don't care if both your article (which I didn't read, nor care about) both have "Michigan" in the title. They aren't related. Don't be that guy. - customgamer, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6I am a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology, an I just received a similar warning email. This is not a Michigan policy, it is one that the RIAA is starting. My letter said....
To: All Students
From: Mary-Beth A. Cooper, Vice President for Student Affairs
Protect Yourself – Download Your Music Legally
In a February letter to university presidents, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced the newest initiative in its campaign against illegal file sharing. The RIAA is sending “settlement” notices to colleges. The settlement offers are to be passed to the person associated with the illegal activity. The recipient has a limited time to respond to the settlement offer. In an effort to ensure that RIT is not among the college for illegal downloads or file sharing, we’re offering the latest information from the RIAA and a reminder that there are several popular legal music services available to RIT students. The RIT Code of Conduct for Computer and Network Use applies to all use of RIT computer and network resources. The Code strictly prohibits violation of copyright law—the law which stipulates that file sharing and downloading of copyrighted materials is illegal. Violation of the Code can result in sanction by RIT. Information about file sharing can be found on
* The RIT cable TV network, channel 19 (an 8-minute video shown at the top of each hour)
* The ITS web site http://www.rit.edu/its
* The RIAA web site: http://www.campusdownloading.com/
Penalties have been very steep for those responsible for illegal music downloads and several students have had felony records related to their online activities. We’d like to ensure th informed and protected. With questions and concerns regarding campus downloading and peer-to-peer file sharing information, contact:
Donna C. Cullen, Computer Policy Analyst
Information & Technology Services
Digital Millennium Copyright Agent - cawpin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@danep - That's all fine and dandy. The university should tell that to the RIAA. They aren't the law. They asked for the information WITHOUT a subpoena.
- cevil203, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2peer guardian does work...its just the few ip's that change that aren't static that you worry about.
- danep, on 10/12/2007, -10/+12The universities act as an ISP. ISPs are required to turn over information about users when subpoenaed. End of story.
There's nothing new about this, and certainly nothing unique to U of M. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3What's the going rate for settlement these days? 3k? That would buy three hundred albums on itunes.
Yeah...I guess it really does pay to get your music for free. - badjohny, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8They were stealing music and got busted. Why do people think that because they don't agree with the price structure of something, then their only other option is to steal it? If you go to a car dealer and can't afford the car you want, is your only option to take it? Your option on the music is to pay the set price, or don't buy it. Its not a required need in life. You will not die if you don't have it. Its not food or shelter. If you don't think the price for CDs or a digital paid download are fair, don't buy it. Do you think its fair to go into best buy, see a movie you want that happens to be priced higher than what you think it should be, so you just take it?
I agree, CDs and DVDs are priced to high. as a rule, I only buy songs off itunes now. I only buy the song I want. I am not going to pay 10-20 dollars for a cd with one good song on it. As long as people pirate music, the music industry will have that as an excuse to charge more. They will keep on saying that they have to charge that much to make up for the losses of the music piracy.
I think these guys are going to get a raw deal. The punishment will not be equal to the crime. But don't put a flag of nobility on theft and say that you are sticking it to the music industry. They are stealing songs. Plain and simple. They got caught, and it sucks but they are going to have to deal with that. The price they pay might not be equal to the crime they did, but that's America for ya. Nobody with a right mind will say our justice system is fair or balanced to the little guy. But that still is no reason to steal. Don't want to pay for a movie/dvd then don't get it. Rent it, listen to the radio, get a used cd...there are options.
When did we reach a point when the choice on buying was: pay the asking price, or stealing? - JimV, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I'm sorry, but if you don't want to get caught, don't use the university internet to download stuff. At least get your own net connection and an open wireless router so you have some kind of plausible defense.
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