By Rebecca Wyatt Thomas, OU Web Writer
Sharing music and movies, especially across OU’s network, can be easy and fun, but if not done correctly, it can be a violation of university policy and the law. The Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America have initiated lawsuits against students. Oakland University students should be aware that there are Web sites that provide music and movie files that can be downloaded legally or provide more information about downloading such files.
Sites such as the MusicUnited Legal Sites list, the MPAA Legal Sites list and the Center for Democracy and Technology Music Download Warning list provide information on what sites are legal. The MusicUnited Web site provides links to legal music pages where MP3s and other forms of digital music can be downloaded free of charge or for a small fee.
Oakland University provides access to Ruckus, a free music service, through SAIL. By logging into the SAIL portal, students have access to a legal way to download virus-free songs, movies and TV shows as well as share their playlists with other students on campus. Ruckus is available free to students and for a nominal fee for faculty and staff. Using the Ruckus Player or Windows Media Player, students can download and play music or movies for free. Ruckus members can also find friends through media preferences or browse profiles online.
The peer-to-peer file sharing software can be difficult to uninstall. The software may continue to provide access to files even though a user thought they were removed. For assistance with removal, contact the Helpdesk at helpdesk@oakland.edu or at (248) 370-4357.
For more information on copyright and related issues, visit Define the Line, Chilling Effects or the United States Copyright Office Web site.