An article recently published by the Associated Press stated, “The music industry is stepping up its efforts to crack down on illegal music downloading and file-sharing on campus networks…the RIAA has sent thousands more complaints to colleges and universities this school year than it did last year—and schools that don't cooperate with the trade group could be subject to a lawsuit.”

Today, dozens of institutions and hundreds of students are regularly receiving warnings related to their illegal activities. Post-secondary administrators and network directors are spending thousands of hours addressing abuses of computer systems, inadvertent virus infections, threats of legal action from the RIAA and the MPAA, overwhelming traffic, and the threat of total, catastrophic system collapse. Why? Illegal P2P.

Universities inadvertently aid and abet the Internet theft of music, movies, computer games, and software. Members of the educational community—students, faculty, administration, and support-staff— are illegally file-sharing through [eer-to-peer (P2P) networks and adding to the destruction and misuse of universities’ and colleges’ network infrastructure, slowing its system and preventing it from accomplishing critical educational missions.

Despite colleges and universities best efforts to educate their campuses about the consequences, risks, and damages of Internet piracy, the theft of copyrighted content on campuses is still increasing each semester, leaving institutions and students more vulnerable and open to lawsuits and other punishment.

SafeMedia’s network appliance, Clouseau™ has made, for the first time, compliance with digital copyright laws practical and efficient.

Clouseau™ is a breakthrough network appliance designed specifically to eradicate illegal P2P network program file sharing, eliminate all P2P-borne security breaches and infection, and assure universities immediate legal compliance.

SafeMedia technology solution, Clouseau™, eliminates all illegal P2P traffic currently accounting for an average of 70-80% of computer network traffic. It makes illegal P2P impossible. It allows networks to accelerate up to their speed limit and handle all their mission critical activities.

The technology also preserves total anonymity. No user information can be collected about the user. Further, there is no censorship as the technology only discriminates between legal and illegal. The technology is content-blind. There is no question of violating First Amendment rights whatsoever.

Unless you prefer to continue to have your system hijacked for criminal activity, unavailable for mission critical work, and live under the threat of criminal and civil penalty, you need to take action.

First and foremost, the senior administration needs to be aware that there is a solution to online copyright theft and the ills associated with it. A test unit can be made available for deployment in your network. SafeMedia would be happy to work with you in this regard.

The Department of Education should be contacted. SafeMedia is working with this and other Federal agencies to get funding for the purchase and installation of this technology.

Your Senators and Representatives are being made aware of Clouseau™. They are interested in helping. Let them know you are interested.