FBI enforcing copyright?

["Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu>]

Is this a new development?  Chuck


FBI arrests UNCC student for file sharing

<http://www.nineronline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/04/28/408ecabb37098>

File sharing fight varies at different universities, official policies in
place

by Elizabeth Thomas 
Daily Pennsylvanian
April 28, 2004

The FBI was on UNC Charlotte's campus last week, and the agency wasn't
giving presentations to criminal justice classes.

According to police records, UNCC police officers assisted the federal
agency with the service of a search warrant last Monday for stealing
intellectual property.

Major William Harper, interim director for University Police, could not
comment on details regarding the incident, citing his agency was merely
assisting the FBI in their investigation.

"They just recently put together a task force dealing with copyright
infringment," said Harper.

He did say the FBI confiscated the student's computer from one of the
campus dorms.

"We do not actively investigate copyright infringement on the campus
network unless we are notified by the Motion Picture Association of
America and various other agencies on alleged music, video or software
policy copyright violations," said Carter Heath, security administrator
for UNCC's Information and Technology Services.

Carter said the University's dealings with the FBI on copyright
infringement are a rarity.

"The only time we're contacted by them is within the constraints of a
criminal investigation," said Heath.

Chief Information Officer Karin Steinbrenner, in an interview with
NinerOnline.com last year, said she would receive two or three messages a
week from the recording or video industries regarding illegal activity of
UNCC students.

UNCC's Information and Technology Services determines the IP address of
such students and turns them over to the Student Affairs office.
Discipline can range from the limiting of one's computer privileges to
expulsion.

Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223
phone 704 687-2825