{"id":15247,"date":"2025-08-19T09:26:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T14:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/?page_id=15247"},"modified":"2025-12-09T11:04:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T17:04:31","slug":"illegal-file-sharing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/","title":{"rendered":"Illegal File Sharing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"uwm-l-row\">\n<div class=\"uwm-l-col\">\n<p>There can be serious repercussions for Illegal File Sharing including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Large fines<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lost time during litigation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hardware confiscation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restricted access to 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s network<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Please review our Frequently Asked Questions below to get familiar with this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-illegal-file-sharing-faqs\">Illegal File Sharing FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-illegal-file-sharing-and-how-can-i-avoid-it\">What is illegal file sharing, and how can I avoid it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When media is produced and sold, it is protected by copyright law so it cannot be copied, reproduced, or resold without the permission of the creators. If you download media without paying for it and the file has been copyrighted, or distribute media that has been copyrighted without the permission of the copyright holder, you are sharing the file illegally. Make sure to always purchase media from a trusted outlet, and do not distribute copyrighted materials with others without permission from the copyright holder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-digital-millennium-copyright-act\">What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 made it illegal to republish copyrighted information by downloading, uploading, or file-sharing media such as music, movies, or software. Digitally sharing copyrighted materials is illegal and violates the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/regents\/policies\/acceptable-use-of-information-technology-resources\/\">Acceptable Use Policy<\/a> for 51ÁÔÆæ regarding the campus network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The University does not monitor individual network activity. However, 51ÁÔÆæ is obligated by law to respond to valid complaints from copyright holders and their agents. DMCA complaints are taken seriously and may result in loss of access to the 51ÁÔÆæ network, academic discipline under University policy, or fines or legal action by the copyright holders and\/or their agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-the-risk-of-illegal-file-sharing\">What\u2019s the risk of illegal file sharing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Groups like the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) pay organizations to gather information from the internet to identify where files are being shared illegally. Individual lawsuits are being settled out of court for $4,000-$5,000. Lawsuits that are not settled out of court can result in higher monetary damages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Groups such as the RIAA send an official complaint to the Internet Service Provider (51ÁÔÆæ when you are using the 51ÁÔÆæ network). 51ÁÔÆæ notifies the campus network administrator responsible for the area in which the infringement occurred. The individual is then notified about the complaint so they can stop the illegal use of copyrighted material. Wherever possible, network access for the device or individual in question is removed until it can be verified that the infringing activity has stopped or until a counterclaim is filed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The copyright holders\u2019 lawyers can file a federal lawsuit and then subpoena the University for the information to identify the individual. With your name and user account information, the attorneys can pursue monetary damages against you in court. This is the risk you assume when you engage in illegal file sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-some-common-p2p-peer-to-peer-programs-used-for-illegal-file-sharing\">What are some common P2P (peer-to-peer) programs used for illegal file sharing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The use of programs such as BitTorrent, uTorrent, and LimeWire may result in illegal P2P sharing of digital materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-can-i-avoid-violating-copyright-law-and-subsequent-legal-action\">How can I avoid violating copyright law and subsequent legal action?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While some files may be legally shared via common P2P programs, most true freeware programs or public domain music are available elsewhere on the Internet. If you use P2P file sharing software, it is your responsibility to ensure you are not downloading or sharing copyrighted music, movies, or software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-i-know-if-i-ve-received-a-settlement-letter-from-the-riaa\">How do I know if I&#8217;ve received a settlement letter from the RIAA?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve been contacted regarding a DMCA violation, you may have been targeted for the settlement letter as well. If you wish to obtain a copy of any such letter or contact information for the RIAA, you may request it from 51ÁÔÆæ. Incidentally, the parties to a lawsuit can agree to settle a case at any time. You do not legally forfeit your right to settle by not responding to a pre-settlement letter. While it is impossible to know if the RIAA will be amenable to settlement at a particular time in the future, typically corporations prefer to settle cases instead of undertaking a trial which is costly and time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-where-can-i-find-more-information-about-p2p-sharing-and-copyright-infringement\">Where can I find more information about P2P sharing and copyright infringement?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information please visit the following Web sites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/\">51ÁÔÆæ Cybersecurity Web Page<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/general-counsel\/legal-topics\/copyright\/\">UW System &#8211; FAQ Copyright Law<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/finances\/finances\/consumer-information\/\">51ÁÔÆæ Higher Education Act (HEA) &#8211; Consumer Information<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-official-uwm-policy-for-copyright-infringement\">What is the official 51ÁÔÆæ policy for copyright infringement?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin \u2013 Milwaukee (51ÁÔÆæ) to promptly investigate notices of alleged copyright infringement, and take appropriate actions under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copyright.gov\/512\/\">Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17, United States Code, Section 512<\/a> (DMCA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DMCA notifications are to be submitted to the DMCA Compliance and Notification Agent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-l-col uwm-l-col--4 uwm-l-offset--1\"><div class=\"content_block\" id=\"custom_post_widget-12566\">\n<div class=\"uwm-p-card uwm-p-card--color-head uwm-p-card--contact uwm-u-mb-40\"><div class=\"uwm-p-card--profile-header\"><div class=\"uwm-p-card--profile-header-text\"><div class=\"uwm-p-card--title\">51ÁÔÆæ Help Desk<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-card--body\"><div class=\"uwm-p-card--content\">\n<ul class=\"uwm-c-list--contact uwm-c-list--cleanlist\">\n<li><i class=\"fa-solid fa-envelope fa-fw\"><\/i><a href=\"mailto:helpdesk@it.uwm.edu\">helpdesk@it.uwm.edu<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><i class=\"fa-solid fa-mobile-screen-button fa-fw\"><\/i><a href=\"tel:414-229-4040\">414-229-4040<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/request-support\/\" class=\"uwm-p-card--link\">Online Support Form<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-l-buttons--full\">\n<a class=\"uwm-c-button uwm-c-button--full uwm-u-mb-20\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/cybersecurity-incident-form\/\" rel=\"\">Cybersecurity Incident Form<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-l-buttons--full\">\n<a class=\"uwm-c-button uwm-c-button--full uwm-u-mb-20\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/request-secure-data-disposal-through-cts\/\" rel=\"\">Request Secure Data Disposal<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-block-otp-nav \"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":19041,"featured_media":0,"parent":1658,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"class_list":["post-15247","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Technology Resources<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Illegal File Sharing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Technology Resources\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-09T17:04:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@51ÁÔÆæ_IT\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/cybersecurity\\\/illegal-file-sharing\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/cybersecurity\\\/illegal-file-sharing\\\/\",\"name\":\"Illegal File Sharing - Technology Resources\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-19T14:26:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-09T17:04:31+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/cybersecurity\\\/illegal-file-sharing\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/cybersecurity\\\/illegal-file-sharing\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/cybersecurity\\\/illegal-file-sharing\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Cybersecurity\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/cybersecurity\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Illegal File Sharing\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/\",\"name\":\"Technology Resources\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/information-technology\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Technology Resources","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Illegal File Sharing","og_url":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/","og_site_name":"Technology Resources","article_modified_time":"2025-12-09T17:04:31+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@51ÁÔÆæ_IT","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/","url":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/","name":"Illegal File Sharing - Technology Resources","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-08-19T14:26:18+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-09T17:04:31+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/illegal-file-sharing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cybersecurity","item":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/cybersecurity\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Illegal File Sharing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/#website","url":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/","name":"Technology Resources","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-24 15:18:23","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19041"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15247"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15704,"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15247\/revisions\/15704"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}