Tuesday, April 27, 2004

UCLA Uses New Software to Block Online Piracy, and the Movie Industry Applauds By BROCK READ Printer friendly E-mail article Subscribe Order reprints HEADLINES   Lawmakers to propose interest-rate change that could make student loans more costly Bush applauds community colleges in speech, but provides few details on his proposals Presidential pay climbed 3.1% this year at community colleges, survey finds Supreme Court refuses to hear appeal of rulings against prayer at Virginia Military Institute Dell's chairman faces campus critics of company's recycling record in a Webcast UCLA uses new software to block online piracy, and the movie industry applauds Commencement speakers are announced by 10 colleges In a hard-nosed approach to online piracy, the University of California at Los Angeles has begun using new software that disconnects from its residence-hall network students accused of trading copyrighted songs or movies -- and reinstates the users only after they delete the offending files. The software, designed by computer scientists at UCLA, made its debut on the campus on April 19, just weeks after administrators announced they would adopt stricter policies on file sharing and intellectual property. The university hopes the software will streamline the often time-consuming practice of responding to cease-and-desist orders sent by copyrightholders who have identified instances of alleged piracy. UCLA has received more than 300 such notifications since July, campus officials said. Under UCLA's new policy, the first time students are accused of copyright violations, they automatically lose Internet access. To regain their online privileges, they must delete any files cited in the cease-and-desist orders. They must also sign a form in which they verify that the files have been removed but do not admit to any copyright infractions. Second-time offenders must do the same -- and face disciplinary action from a dean who is automatically notified by the software. The computerized system should not restrict students' privacy or their right to contest the cease-and-desist notices, said James F. Davis, the university's associate vice chancellor of information technology. "UCLA respects due process and the student disciplinary process," Mr. Davis said in a written statement, "and is striving to balance this respect with UCLA's intention to comply and promote compliance with copyright laws." Movie-industry executives have applauded administrators at UCLA -- as well those at the University of Florida, which has developed a program called Icarus that blocks peer-to-peer file trading -- for creating antipiracy software. "I think it's great that they're being so proactive about enforcing copyright protection," said Matthew Grossman, director of digital strategy at the Motion Picture Association of America. The entertainment industry is also working on a plan to make similar software available to smaller colleges. Vivendi Universal Entertainment and Universal Music Group have designed a software program, known as the Automated Copyright Notice System, that allows network administrators to automate responses to cease-and-desist notices. With the software, network administrators can automatically notify or withhold Internet access from students accused of illegally swapping copyrighted songs or movies. The automated notice system provided by the entertainment companies' software "is a process tool more than an enforcement tool," Mr. Grossman said. "We heard from a lot of people who said it took a lot of man-hours to process these cease-and-desist notifications, and this software should help ease the flow of information." The technology was recently tested by members of the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities, a group that has examined methods of preventing campus file-trading and promoting legal alternatives. At present, Universal is looking for colleges to test the software. Background articles from The Chronicle: Music Denied (4/16/2004) Many Colleges Lack Music-Piracy Policies (4/9/2004) 2 Universities Test Controversial Filtering Method to Block Illegal Trading of Music (4/5/2004) Recording Industry Plans Big Push Against Illegal Sharing of Music Files (7/11/2003) A President Tries to Settle the Controversy Over File Sharing (5/23/2003) Film Studio Sends Hundreds of Letters to Colleges, Alleging Illegal Downloading (3/21/2003) Colleges Told to Block Illegal File Sharing (3/14/2003)