Bowling Green University Enforces New Three-Strikes Anti-P2P Plan

New "DMCA Copyright Safeguard Program" comes after being alarmed that it ranked 55th in the nation for number of warning letters received from the RIAA.

Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio, USA, about 20 miles south of Toledo, Ohio has implemented a new three-strikes-and-your-out policy for those accused of illegal file-sharing on campus.

The new policy is referred to as the DMCA Copyright Safeguard Program and was implemented after school officials became alarmed by how "rampant" illegal file-sharing was on campus. According to Matt Haschak, director of ITS security at the campus, a first offense will lead to a 24hr Internet ban, a second offense for two weeks, and a third offense will result in a loss of Internet access for the remainder of the semester.

"The University last year received 658 cease and desist notices from the RIAA," said Haschak. "That was number 55 in the nation, number two in the state of Ohio. That raised our awareness of how rampant this was."

With a student body of over 20,000 students, to say that the activities of 3.29% of the population is "rampant" is absurd, but this is apparently irrelevant.

One student remarked in a response to news of the story but criticizing BGU for essentially turning the its IT Dept into an enforcement arm of the RIAA.

"It’s not the University’s place to regulate file sharing, if there are legal problems then let the RIAA sue the students but PLEASE don’t help the RIAA in their dirty business," writes Mark Montgomery.

Well said Mark.

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