Joint Higher Education and Entertainment Group Issues Review Of Year-Long Efforts To Curb Illegal File Sharing On College Campuses

A joint committee of leaders from the higher education and entertainment communities, formed to develop collaborative solutions to address illegal file sharing on college campuses, today released a review of its efforts and the progress accomplished during the past year, as well as projects still on the agenda.

The Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities was formed last fall and is comprised of leaders representing universities, higher education organizations, and music and motion picture executives. The committee aims to provide a range of resources to school administrators in three basic areas: educational efforts (including practices surrounding the use of copyrighted works, student responsibility, and implications for peer-to-peer network file sharing), technological solutions (including computer network management technologies available to reduce illegal file sharing and the development of legal, campus-based music and movie/entertainment services), and examining differences and exploring prospects for collaboration on legislative initiatives.

"The collaborative efforts of higher education and the entertainment industry have already gone a long way toward addressing problems associated with the piracy of copyrighted material," said Graham Spanier, president of Penn State University and co-chair of the Joint Committee. "The progress in charting solutions and in awareness has been dramatic in recent months."

"The epidemic of illegal file sharing dramatically impacts both of our respective communities. We are in this boat together, and that's why collaborative solutions are the best approach," said Cary Sherman, President, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and co-chair of the Joint Committee. "Within a short amount of time, there's been a sea change in the awareness of piracy's impact and the appreciation of the need to do something about it. The work of the Joint Committee deserves top-notch marks, but we still have much to accomplish."

"We are grateful to the university community who, under the leadership of Graham Spanier, has already made great inroads in addressing concerns about network abuse on campus. Our collaboration with the university community has yielded benefits to all parties involved," said Jack Valenti, President and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). "Only through a multi-pronged approach will the promise of the burgeoning digital era be fulfilled. Our industry is committed to providing consumers with the best possible viewing experience and the widest array of options by which they can be enjoyed. The Digital Future will benefit everyone: Computer makers, chip makers, consumer electronics manufacturers, and the creative community, but most of all it will benefit the American economy and millions of American families."

Among the group's specific projects:

• A Request for Information (RFI) about technologies offered by various companies that could help curb illegal peer-to-peer network file sharing on college and university campuses (http://www.educause.edu/issues/rfi/). The idea behind this RFI is to create a clearinghouse of readily-accessible information about technologies now available to reduce infringing use of P2P on campus networks, and a convenient and easy resource for school administrators to consult. That RFI was issued in April and the review is near completion. It is intended to lead to on-campus pilot projects beginning this academic year that will afford a practical demonstration and evaluation of the utility and effectiveness of the technologies.
• A Request for Information (RFI) about legitimate online music and movie services now available (http://www.educause.edu/issues/rfi/). The Joint Committee does not plan to recommend a particular service, nor can it negotiate any specific online licensing agreement with schools; rather, the goal is to create a knowledge base of information for university administrators and music and movie officials to help facilitate existing or future conversations between legitimate online content services and schools. That RFI was issued in June and the review is underway. The goal of this effort is the implementation of pilot projects at a number of universities to implement campus-based legitimate online music and movie services.
• A recently released white paper, "Background Discussion of Copyright Law and Potential Liability for Students Engaged in P2P File Sharing on University Networks," designed to help school administrators better understand the application of copyright law to peer-to-peer network file sharing and students' legal liability when they engage in this illegal activity (http://www.acenet.edu/washington/legalupdate/2003/P2P.pdf.)
• This fall, the Committee will release a best practices document intended to serve as a resource to universities and colleges by outlining some of the approaches other schools have taken in setting campus network use policies and in educating students, faculty and staff about respect for copyrights and the liability for illegal file sharing. The Committee believes that the diverse size and varied traditions of numerous universities and colleges precludes a "one-sizes-fits-all" policy. Rather, the document will offer a variety of policies and procedures of demonstrated effectiveness.
• Additionally, the Committee's legislative task force continues its useful dialogue on various legislative issues before Congress.

A complete list of committee members includes:

For a cross section of examples (news clips and other information) of what some specific schools and universities are doing to address illegal file sharing, please contact the RIAA.