The viability of the UNSW Wireless network, presently provided free of charge to students, has been placed under threat due to increasing incidents of illegal downloading of copyright material such as movies, videos, music and games.
The University provides computing facilities (including the wireless network) to students at no charge for the purposes of teaching and learning; and it views attempts to misuse its computing facilities in this way very seriously.
Such actions place the both the University and the individual responsible at risk of litigation for copyright infringement.
In addition, such conduct breaches the University Policies: Acceptable Use of UNSW Information and Communications Technology and; Student Misconduct Rules; and may lead to formal disciplinary action, fines and even criminal prosecution.
The Internet is NOT a copyright-free zone. Do not assume that simply because you can locate a file through sites such as BitTorrent or LimeWire, that you can then legitimately download, copy or transfer it, even for personal use.
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS ILLEGAL.
ALL USERS OF THE UNSW WIRELESS NETWORK ARE NOW ADVISED THAT IF COPYRIGHT-INFRINGING ACTIVITIES ARE DETECTED, THEIR WIRELESS ACCESS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY BLOCKED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SESSION.
IN ADDITION TO THE ACCESS BLOCK, FROM MONDAY NOVEMBER 3 2008, STUDENTS WHO INFRINGE COPYRIGHT WILL ALSO BE SUBJECT TO FORMAL DISCIPLINARY ACTION UNDER THE STUDENT MISCONDUCT RULES, INCLUDING A FINE OF UP TO $1,000.
Michael Kirby-Lewis
Director, IT at UNSW
