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Universities not required to be copyright police in COAA

20 November 2007 10:51 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 9 comments

Despite reports that the 747 page College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 includes provisions that would force universities to provide alternative methods to P2P for downloading music, and claims from officials representing a variety of schools, apparently no such provision exists.

It's true that the bill does have language asking universities to "develop a plan for offering alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property as well as a plan to explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity." However, no tests for compliance or penalties for failure to develop such a plan is included, and it does only suggest they do this "to the extent practicable."

If university officials are overreacting, it's certainly understandable why they would assume the worst of the bill. Just this year an amendment was added to a financial aid bill that would have created a list of the campuses deemed the worst copyright "offenders." It was later withdrawn, but only after a very public outcry from educators.

Still, the attention generated over this bill may help ensure that the sort of measures educators are already worried about don't get added at the last minute. Even if the situation isn't as dire as critics claim, one thing politicians have shown is a willingness to quietly add copyright enforcement clauses into education related legislation. It can't hurt to keep paying attention.

Source: Wired

Permalink to this article

Internet study shows P2P traffic reigns supreme in Internet (29 November 2007)

MPAA lawyer defends COAA anti-P2P provision (21 November 2007)

COAA bill puts Universities in front line against piracy (16 November 2007)

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ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 20 November 2007 11:16
I am sure thee is a loop hole in it that lets he media mafia send admins and students to jail once they find they been "downloading". [ + quote]
pryme_H (Senior Member) 20 November 2007 11:57
"Downloading" has a bad connotation, and I agree with you Zippy there are always ways to incrimate people that are doing this. [ + quote]
7thsinger (AfterDawn Addict) 20 November 2007 12:01
Agree with both. Somehow they always seem able to find something incriminating enough to push the envelope further. It's sad, sick, and disgusting. And Shepards we shall be... [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 20 November 2007 12:02
*Originally posted by pryme_H:* "Downloading" has a bad connotation, and I agree with you Zippy there are always ways to incrimate people that are doing this. What the media maifa wants is everyone to sign a contract with them giving them the rights to listen/view their products if you do have it you go to jail. Its a new age you should not be fined or hounded for listening/viewing easily copied stuff,they are focusing on the wrong end of the issue they ahveto effect better prices/quality and sell to the people who give a damn, bugging poor people and the uninterested over what amounts to poaching from the kings land is foolish and will only aid their downfall. [ + quote]
maryjayne (Junior Member) 21 November 2007 7:56
Isnt providing the internet good enough? I mean it can be used for just as much good (signing up to a legal download service) as it can be for evil (using P2P). I still say the RIAA should be paying us for listening to some of the poor quality material they force on us. [ + quote]
spydah (Junior Member) 21 November 2007 12:34
I dont even listen to main stream any thing any more it sucks. They expect people to listen to the garbage they make a lot of these artist put out. You serve enough crap you get more crap in the end. [ + quote]
pmshah (Newbie) 23 November 2007 19:53
I have given up on torrent downloads. I can't get speeds higher than around 100 kBps on my 2 mbps connection. Most of the times it hovers between 30 & 60 kBps. I am switching to the normal http/ftp downloads where I get constant 225 to 250 kBps speeds. Downside is these links are harder to find. [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 24 November 2007 0:54
*Originally posted by pmshah:* I have given up on torrent downloads. I can't get speeds higher than around 100 kBps on my 2 mbps connection. Most of the times it hovers between 30 & 60 kBps. I am switching to the normal http/ftp downloads where I get constant 225 to 250 kBps speeds. Downside is these links are harder to find. I am on a 200KBS DSL plan Try bit tyrant or UTorrent 1.6.1 or under, make sure you have your firewall set to let it throug. Beyond that set you upload speed to 30-50 this will go against the total download speed (50KBS up traffic=150 max down traffic) but it you set it below 20 it will mess with your download speeds because other torrents try and balance more up with more down traffic. Lastly check your seeders and peers low numbers= low speeds. BT and UT work best with firewall programs I would try them first, also torrents can not max out most plans but come within 70-90% of the max speed,even on HTML I get 190KBS max,I can hit 180KBS down sometimes in torrents but its mostly 180 total (with upload). Torrents are more....a "living data stream" it has to apth though not only the outside network(internet) but the inside network(PC,firewall,ports) as well as the torrent network. all of this can make torrents "interesting" to ply with. [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 19 December 2007 18:43
*Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* I am sure thee is a loop hole in it that lets he media mafia send admins and students to jail once they find they been "downloading". agreed. [ + quote]