In an attempt to crack down on music and movie piracy, the University of Missouri at Columbia has decided to block students from using peer-to-peer file-sharing programs, the Missourian reports.
What makes the university’s decision interesting is that Missouri had previously tried to curtail piracy without completely cutting out its students peer-to-peer access. Before the new policy took effect, students were allowed to use file-swapping services between midnight and 5 a.m. But that restriction didn’t seem to deter students from sharing songs and movies, so campus officials decided to up the ante.
Some college administrators will undoubtedly bristle at the notion of using such brute force to keep piracy in check. But if a college just wants to get out from under those pesky DMCA notices, subtler methods might not work. Any suggestions for how colleges can restrict peer-to-peer access without threatening to tread on academic freedom? —Brock Read
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