Despite being against University policy and federal law, many students have expressed little hesitation about downloading TV shows, movies and music from DC++ and other similar peer-to-peer file-sharing providers.
Several Hopkins students said that the perceived anonymity and low enforcement of file-sharing policy made it seem less serious of an offense.
"You don't hear about many consequences . . . it doesn't seem like much of a risk," an anonymous freshman who lives in Building B said.
The University's Internet Technology policy forbids, "any use of copyrighted materials in violation of copyright laws or of vendor licensing agreements (e.g. illegal downloading and/or sharing of media files or computer software)."
According to Darren Lacey, Hopkins chief Information security officer, the University does not monitor Internet traffic on its network.
"We don't have the time and resources to do that even if we wanted to," he said.
Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a national copyright law, the University's Office of General Counsel receives a notice if a copyright infringement is detected. The Counsel's office then sends the notice to IT to determine the validity of the notice.
If IT can confirm that the illegal file sharing occurred from a particular user's IP address, then they will temporary block that user's access.
The University does not see such a block as punitive, explained Lacey.
However, if a repeat offender is suspected then IT will forward the complaint to the Office of the Dean of Student Life, which determines the proper course of action.
According to Lacey, this happens once every three or four years, and he could not recall a case where a student has received punishment for illegally file sharing on the Hopkins network.
The University's approach toward dealing with illegal file sharing is common, Lacey said.
"Basically, it's a standard issue for universities to not allow illegal file sharing. There is nothing exceptional about the policy."
According to Avi Rubin, Professor in the Computer Science Department and Technical director of the Information Security Institute, the University has the capability to block certain ports that are commonly used for file sharing if it wanted to.
"A service provider is always in a position to observe, monitor and restrict access" Rubin said.
This month, the U.S. Department of Education will begin writing regulations that will interpret three provisions in the Higher Education Act that deal with illegal file sharing.
The Act requires universities to inform students of the penalties for illegal file sharing and to "effectively combat" copyright violations with "a variety of technology-based deterrents."
The current Act also requires universities to provide alternatives to illegal file sharing. The Department of Education declined to comment on what these new regulations will entail.
According to Lacey, the effects of the Act's new provisions on the University are hard to predict.
"It's not clear that we will have to change [about the policy], but we're always reviewing how we go about doing things . . . It's very difficult to tell what the act will require in the long term," he said.
Students interviewed said that they would be more cautious if they perceived file sharing as a risky activity.
"I have cut down on downloading movies and TV shows because of Hulu. If I don't have to download illegally, I won't, just in case [the University] decided to crack down," a junior who lives in Charles Commons said.
"I definitely still use [DC++] for music," the student quickly added.
For Rubin, illegal file sharing is comparable to dialing a 900 number at a person's house without their permission.
"There are certain things you should comply with - not so much because you will be caught but because it's the right thing to do."
