National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Digital Millennium Copyright Act & Compliance

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 18, 2017) — University of Kentucky Information Technology Services is providing tips and advice throughout Cyber Security Awareness Month. Below is the third in a series of stories, focused on copyright compliance.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), enacted Oct. 28, 1998, was put into place to protect the rights of copyright owners and consumers. Nonetheless, copyright infringement still exists.

A significant topic of concern is copyrighted digital music, movies and textbooks. Without permission, copying a song, movie, or textbook and distributing it to classmates or colleagues is illegal.  Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing applications allow you to download and share electronic files with another computer. While P2P file sharing can be a convenient way to share files legally, most P2P networks do not distinguish between legally shared works and copyrighted materials, so there is a risk of accidently downloading material that is protected by copyright laws.  

Please use this site as a reference and resource for safe, legal means that you are able to download media online.

Violation of copyright laws may result in a UK student, faculty or staff member’s loss of access to computer and internet privileges, and may be subject to civil and criminal penalties (up to $250,000 and five years in prison).

For more information on copyright and how to appropriately use the works of others, please visit: 

1. UK’s Copyright Website
2. UK’s Copyright Compliance Policy
3. UK’s Copyright Compliance FAQ’s
4. Federal DMCA Policy