<p>Can you safely download torrents? Im already in UW and some people have said that you get really big consequences if you dl torrents. is it ok?</p>
<p>When I went to orientation, the police officer said that if they track illegal downloads to your computer (and they can), the fine is $5,000 per file :[</p>
<p>yea… but I think 1 download wont matter too much right?</p>
<p>i would not advise opening up a p2p. they look for that kind of stuff and you can get screwed</p>
<p>Torrenting using the UW network is a HUGE risk to take. You could face severe financial penalties and even receive disciplinary action up to ejection from the UW. It’s as simple as this: don’t do it. </p>
<p>More information on this is available at the UW IT Connect site, under Appropriate Usage:</p>
<p>[IT</a> Connect | Unauthorized Distribution of Copyrighted Material on the UW Network](<a href=“http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/policy/unauthorized.html]IT”>http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/policy/unauthorized.html)</p>
<p>Like everyone else said, DON’T DO IT.</p>
<p>Last year someone I know set up a password protected wi-fi network in his dorm room. Somehow his roommate guessed the password and downloaded some music (supposedly only one song according to the letter…). The kid I know who’s wi-fi network it was on ended up getting a letter from UW saying that he could have legal action brought against him.</p>
<p>So yes, the school does watch what you do on their networks and you CAN get caught. You have to log on to the network with your UW NetID, so if you do something illegal, they know who did it. If you allow someone else to use your UW NetID to log on to the network or your wi-fi network in the dorms, their actions could come back to haunt you.</p>
<p>I know it may be hard to imagine, but you can survive a few months without torrenting. :)</p>
<p>actually, I accidentally started to dl sth from torrent but it was totally by accident, and I immediately closed it, it shouldnt matter right?</p>
<p>Probably not, but I wouldn’t do it again. :)</p>
<p>Download all the non-licensed anime you want though.</p>
<p>Just wait until the last week of school and download away. If you do it and they catch you, they will ban your computer from the network and you won’t have internet.</p>
<p>And if an entertainment company finds out, UW is required to forward your info to them, and you could potentially get screwed over.</p>
<p>Even if you do use torrents, speeds are throttled to around 300 kb/s or less in the dorms…wifi in lecture halls is fast though.</p>
<p>Okay seriously, does this happen often? Does the UW even have an incentive to punish students for this? </p>
<p>Yes, there’s a theoretical risk. But it seems that most people can still torrent with impunity.</p>
<p>And has anyone gotten in trouble for downloading anything other than a music/movie file? The RIAA/MPAA are obviously quite active at persecuting violations, but there don’t seem to be any persecutions related to computer game or textbook piracy.</p>
<p>EDIT: <a href=“http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/26/2036211[/url]”>University of Washington Will Aid RIAA - Slashdot. Seriously, if the UW did this <em>voluntarily</em>, then there would be mass protests. It wouldn’t be serving the best interests of its students, and everyone here would then worry about their privacy. The only thing it’s doing is forwarding RIAA letters. That’s all. </p>
<p>So yes, there IS a risk associated with downloading music/movies. But (a) I’m not convinced that the risk is greater than the risk you incur from doing it at home, and (b) you’re probably safe if you’re downloading anything else.</p>