Copyright Infringement and Penalties

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code), including reproducing or distributing a copyrighted work. In the file sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority also constitutes an infringement.

Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer sharing, may subject an individual to civil and criminal liabilities. Penalties for violations of federal copyright laws may include payment of the actual dollar amount of damages and profits; a dollar penalty ranging from $200 to $150,000 for each work infringed; attorney’s fees and court costs; an injunction to stop the infringing acts; court impoundment of the illegal work; or potential criminal penalties. Students who engage in unauthorized peer-to-peer sharing, illegal downloading or unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using the school’s information technology system are subject to Student Code of Conduct regulations and possible disciplinary penalties.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov, and related FAQ’s at www.copyright.gov/help/faq.