From textbooks to television shows, tech-savvy UB students know they can download whatever catches their eye, thanks to UB’s suitably lax policy.
Fewer students will be downloading new episodes of Game of Thrones this spring because UB now offers free HBO Go to on-campus residents.
As reported by The Spectrum, many students readily admit to using torrents in order to illegally download copyrighted material.
A poll of 212 students revealed that over 80 percent admitted to the crime – yes, it is a crime – and more notably, of those students, 79.8 percent said they never faced any consequences.
The vast majority of students who torrent are not caught, and for those who are, the punishment is laughable – students are enrolled in an online class about copyright law. The course on UBlearns takes about 20 minutes to complete.
Clearly, UB has decided that this issue is not a priority – and rightly so.
Legally speaking, because UB serves as an Internet service provider for the campus, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) offers them “safe harbor.” The university only needs to make an attempt to control torrenting and will not face penalties for student infractions.
In terms of the student body, UB’s judiciary system should focus on disciplinary issues that endanger other students or have other serious repercussions.
Torrenting simply doesn’t make the cut.
The university has already received over 200 complaints for 2015 regarding torrenting and illegal downloading, where 2014 topped off at 1,800. Despite the seemingly endless complaints, illegal downloading doesn’t harm anyone on campus.
Accordingly, torrenting shouldn’t worry the university too much, as long as there are more pressing disciplinary issues to address.
This is especially true when students are downloading textbooks – maybe that’s an indication that costs should come down. If UB can supply free HBO, perhaps cuts in book prices should be the next gift to students.
In the meantime, students should appreciate UB’s lenient stance on illegal downloading, but keep in mind that post-graduation, the repercussions won’t involve a UBlearns course. While you likely won’t get any jail time, there’s potential to get sued. Groups like the Recording Industry Association of America work has worked with Internet service providers to cut users off from the Internet if they’re caught illegally file sharing.
UB’s torrenting policy is sensible and practical, but it does create the impression that illegally downloading copyrighted materials is an acceptable practice.
In reality, torrenting is illegal and students need to remain aware of this when they move off-campus and outside of the digital safe haven that UB so conveniently provides.
Even though it’s convenient and even though college students can certainly justify their need for free textbooks and entertainment, it would also be wise to remember that textbooks do have authors, and entertainment does have producers – real people trying to make real money from their efforts.
So right now, while students enjoy the relative safety of on-campus torrenting and endure their constantly dwindling bank accounts, downloading is an admittedly attractive – and defensible – choice.
But outside of the on-campus bubble, where students face real consequences and hopefully start making real money – it would be wise to make the conscientious decision and just pay for it.
email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
