Northern California Institute of Cosmetology does not allow the unauthorized use of copyrighted material. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing programs are not permitted on premises for users of Northern California Institute of Cosmetology’s computer network. A peer-to-peer file sharing program is any computer application that alters a personal computer into a storage server that can distribute data to other computers simultaneously. Copyrighted materials cannot be shared by any means, including network file shares, the internet, illegal upload/download, and is not limited to just peer-to-peer programs. Copyright infringement, according to the U.S. Copyright Office, is when “a copyrighted work is reproduced, performed, publicly displayed, or made without the permission of the copyright owner.” This pertains to a portion or all of a copyright work. Unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing and unauthorized distribution of any copyrighted material may be subject to civil and criminal liabilities.
The U.S. Copyright Office provides a summary of the penalties for violation of Federal copyright laws (http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/) cited below:
Uploading or downloading works protected by copyright without the authority of the copyright owner is an infringement of the copyright owner's exclusive rights of reproduction and/or distribution. Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statutory damages up to $30,000 for each work infringed and, if willful infringement is proven by the copyright owner, that amount may be increased up to $150,000 for each work infringed. In addition, an infringer of a work may also be liable for the attorney's fees incurred by the copyright owner to enforce his or her rights.
Whether or not a particular work is being made available under the authority of the copyright owner is a question of fact. But since any original work of authorship fixed in a tangible medium (including a computer file) is protected by federal copyright law upon creation, in the absence of clear information to the contrary, most works may be assumed to be protected by federal copyright law.
Since the files distributed over peer-to-peer networks are primarily copyrighted works, there is a risk of liability for downloading material from these networks. To avoid these risks, there are currently many "authorized" services on the Internet that allow consumers to purchase copyrighted works online, whether music, ebooks, or motion pictures. By purchasing works through authorized services, consumers can avoid the risks of infringement liability and can limit their exposure to other potential risks, e.g., viruses, unexpected material, or spyware.
See Frequently Asked Questions about ‘Copyright’ online at the U.S. Copyright Office page at www.copyright.gov/help/faq/
Northern California Institute of Cosmetology will terminate any student conducting unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing or copyright infringement violations using the school’s network system. Whichever amount of tuition due to Northern California Institute of Cosmetology will be payable on demand.
