Copyrighted Materials and Peer to Peer File Sharing
Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material may subject students to disciplinary action and civil and criminal penalties. Information concerning the legal consequences of such violations may be found in Title 17 of the United States Code, Circular 92, http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html#504.
File-sharing programs are not necessarily harmless and in using them you may inadvertently consume excessive network bandwidth, violate copyright law, inadvertently share confidential information or make your computer unsecured. Disproportionate bandwidth usage and copyright infringement are violations of the University's rules for acceptable use of information technology.
Students should be aware that University networks and computers connected to the University networks are monitored by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and other copyright protection agencies. If you install peer-to-peer file sharing software on your computer you "open" your computer to monitoring by these agencies. If the university receives a notice from one of these agencies alleging a copyright violation associated with your computer, your network connectivity will be limited to local resources. This limitation will continue until you have discussed the situation with the UT Permian Basin Dean of Students. Repeat offenders are subject to disciplinary actions up to and including expulsion from the University.