Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News

Committee member for the Student Senate Information Technology Commission and junior Casey Driscoll said many students have already been targeted this semester.

"It seems the RIAA goes on rampages," he said. "Already this semester, we've had more than we had all of last semester."

Driscoll said he thinks students have become complacent with the possible risks that come from illegal downloading. He said people living off campus are at risk too, even though they're not on the university network.

"No one can get away," he said. "They monitor everything."

Driscoll said he wishes students would get educated about the risks because those who aren't aware are hit the hardest.

Thesing-Ritter said she doesn't think students have become complacent, but rather they have never known the dangers of illegal downloading.

"They've never been told not to," she said. "It's just a part of the culture and now they're being held accountable."

Driscoll said there are several inexpensive alternatives to illegal downloading and the university provides students with the free program Ruckus. He also noted other programs such as iTunes, Pandora, Amazon and Microsoft. Hulu is another site that offers TV shows the day after they come out, Driscoll said, and they're free but have some advertisements.

Thesing-Ritter said she thinks students should recognize the benefits of legal downloading.

"I think it's so wonderful that Student Senate offers Ruckus," she said. Thesing-Ritter thinks if a student isn't paying for their music, they shouldn't be doing it.

Nohr thinks it is a random thing to get busted since she knows most of her friends do it and she was the only one caught.

"It doesn't matter how much you've downloaded or how long you've been downloading."

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