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Downloading and sharing music and movies through the Internet is a popular hobby for millions of people worldwide. Although it’s easy to do, it’s also illegal—and the possibility of getting yourself and the university in real trouble increases every day. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has recently generated subpoenas to identify hundreds of downloaders and file sharers. Lawsuits are sure to follow. A bill before Congress would make sharing a copyrighted file a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The penalties are stiff so take protective steps.

The most effective precaution is to stop downloading and sharing copyrighted files without permission. Remove software like Morpheus or Direct Connect that enables file sharing from your computer. Consider using a pay service like Apple iTunes Music Store or Listen.com’s Rhapsody to meet your music needs. Finally, if you choose to continue, disengaging the file sharing mechanism (so you can only download and not provide your music to others) is the minimal action you should take to avoid being a subject of one of the growing number of subpoenas.

For information about acceptable use of the university’s computing resources, visit www.inform.umd.edu/aug.

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