University of Michigan - Flint

Peer-to-peer file-sharing is not unlawful.  Neither, generally speaking, is the technology:  it’s what you share and how you share that may be a violation of law.  While it is not always the case, typically, if you are uploading someone else’s copyrighted works (e.g. songs, movies, books, software, documents, etc.), you are likely to be infringing that person’s rights as a copyright holder. That said, there are all sorts of lawful, useful, and important uses you can make of P2P technology, and it is up to you to be responsible for how you use this technology.

For more information on P2P file-sharing, please visit: www.bayu.umich.edu.  (Please note that BAYU is a service that UM-Ann Arbor offers to students on that campus.  UM-Flint students will not receive the emails mentioned at that site even if they are uploading.  It is up to UM-Flint students to discover if their computer is uploading illegal files.  However, the information contained at that site is useful for all UM students.)

Question 10:

Which of the following is true:

A.		College students are experiencing more frequent penalties for violating the Copyright Act by sharing music and movies over the Internet.
B.		Peer-to-Peer file-sharing technology, when used appropriately, is not illegal.
C.		Last year, U-M was on the 25 “worst offenders” lists as published by the RIAA and MPAA.
D.		All of the above.

Question 9  |  Question 11