What exactly are "they" monitoring? Is the University allowing access to their server logs to anyone who asks or is this off-campus monitoring of P2P file sharing? It seems to me there should be an alert given to all students regarding the RIAA's draconian tactics, not just a news article after the fact. If this is strictly peer to peer file sharing that is being targeted, that information should be given as well instead of this BIG BROTHER is watching message that is going out with this story.

The university does not share logs with anyone, nor do they monitor what data students upload or download.

The RIAA connects to Peer to Peer networks and monitors the data people are uploading and downloading. They record the IP (Internet Protocol) address of people who upload or download copyrighted material, and contact the owner of the IP. When the university gets contacted by the RIAA, they do not give out the student's identity unless they are required to by subpoena.

In an effort to protect students from the RIAA's onslaught, the university set up network analysis notifications emails that get sent to students whose computers exhibit symptoms of peer to peer usage. Most students simply choose to ignore these alerts, thinking they won't get caught.

Another attempt the university has made to help students from getting targeted by the RIAA, is offering free and unlimited Ruckus downloads. This is a completely legal way students download their music.

This university is doing more to keep an open network, while also trying to protect students, than nearly all other universities. They could just as easily strictly regulate what programs you can run on networked computers and not even give you the option to download music.

As the article suggests, this is not a new issue at UW-Eau Claire.

During the 2006-07 academic year alone the RIAA notified the university of 473 student violations -- up from 199 violations in 2005-06, according to the association's Top 25 schools with the most complaints, published Feb. 21, 2007.

By Oct. 23, 2003, the university had already contacted 36 students that semester to relay the association's intent to file lawsuits. During the 2002-03 school year, there were more than 75 notifications; in 2001-02, there were 15.

These numbers were taken from the at least seven articles The Spectator published since 2003 -- at least four since 2007 -- when university administrators and Student Senate began what has become an extensive campaign to educate students about the dangers of illegal downloading.

I must admit that it had been really hard to have to be the one to tell them they are facing this lawsuit.

I figure all the recording industry needs to do is successfully sue every person in America under the age of 35 and they'll be able to go back to selling overpriced CDs chock full of filler and like one song people might want.

Or, you know, develop a business model that hasn't been rendered obsolete by technology.

I have to agree with teh poster above... :/ looks like a lot of hot air to me.

Good information. Thanks for the post.

I like articles like this. Great Article! Thanks!

Thank you for writing the article, I am very pleased with how it came out.

Good scene, interesting post, thanks.

I thought this debate was about them, as opposed to featuring them. Whoops.

Great article. I agree totally.

Thanks to author! I like articles like this about title , very interesting.

Nice review! Thanks!

Nice review! Thanks!

Thanks to author! I like articles like this about title , very interesting.

Nice review! Thanks!

"The reality is that there are consequences to these actions," Thesing-Ritter said- good words!

Spamcity.

So the RIAA posts some popular songs on peer to peer and when someone downloads that song, they record the IP address then sue them for thousands? Classy, I'd like to know which recording musicians let the RCIA use their music as bait, so i can encourage my friends never to buy from that musician again.