USC Gives Out Names of Students Who Download Music

USC agrees to name RIAA illegal downloaders

Lets be honest: everybody and their mother downloads music illegally. Whether its Limewire, Sharazaa, or even torrents, nearly every person on this planet who owns a computer has "pirated" something at one time or another. College students are certainly among the largest offenders, as it seems to be a pretty safe way to get some new tunes for your Friday night binge drinking.

This is no longer true for students at the University of Southern California, where the school has given into pressure from the Recording Industry of America Association. The group plans to take legal action against the students who the university gives up. Below is a except from The Daily Trojan

"USC general counsel Kelly Bendell said she received the letters Thursday. They list a student's Internet protocol address - not his or her name - a list of songs downloaded, date and time of the download, and which Peer-to-Peer network was used. Bendell said she will coordinate with ITS to identify the students and encourage them to obtain the services of a lawyer.

"I think it's right for the university to inform students that they're going to be sued", said Bendell

RIAA general counsel Steven Marks also insisted the RIAA would only send out letters when it intended to file lawsuits if the student or staff member did not respond.

"We never send a letter if we don't intend to sue," he said.

Marks said the RIAA plans to issue 400 letters per month and double the number of lawsuits within the next three months.In the last three years, the RIAA has sued 1,000 university network users, including USC students, for downloading music illegally."