Submission + - Stanford helps RIAA and MPAA with DMCA complaints
esthetic writes: "I am a current Stanford student and 2 days ago I received an email from the dean warning us of new financial penalties for DMCA complaints. Stanford is backed by and made famous by companies such as Google and Yahoo who depend on net neutrality to freely dispense information to the public. For actively promoting a censorship law, Stanford demonstrates that they are not ready to embrace the idea that information should be freely distributed online. I worry for our freedom online when an institution known for its creativity and involvement in constructing the internet enforces such a nebulous and morally ambiguous policy. I would like to hear from the Slashdot community on how I could effectively complain to the university and what type of arguments I should be using?
here's the original email:
"Dear Stanford student,
Illegal use of file-sharing technology continues to be a critical problem at Stanford. In spite of our efforts to advise students about the serious consequences that can result from illegal distribution of copyrighted materials there is clear evidence that this is a growing phenomenon that is not going away.
As a result, the university is announcing a change in the policy governing DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) complaints. The new policy involves an Internet reconnect fee and represents a significant change in actions the university will take in addressing violations.
For information on the new policy please see:
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/legal/recent/DMCAReco nnectfee5-11-07.Web.pdf.
If you have questions about the DMCA Reconnect Fee policy, please contact
Lauren Schoenthaler (at: lks@stanford.edu), Senior University Counsel.
Regards,
Greg Boardman
Vice Provost for Student Affairs"
here's the policy: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/legal/recent/DMCAReco nnectfee5-11-07.Web.pdf"