Moving at the Speed of Creativity

FTC on P2P

Published by Wesley Fryer in intellectualproperty on November 26th, 2005

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The US Federal Trade Commission has published a consumer alert titled “P2P File-Sharing: Evaluate the Risks.” It includes the following suggestions for safely using peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing software programs:

Set up the file-sharing software very carefully.
Be aware of spyware.
Close your connection.
Use an effective anti-virus program and update it regularly.
Talk with your family about file-sharing.

More information and recommendations about each of these ideas can be found on the FTC page linked above, and on Limewire’s page “Important Information about Using P2P Software Safely.” Limewire’s page is actually longer and more comprehensive than the FTC’s.

Before users download the most recent version of Limewire, they must select one of the following two options:

I might use LimeWire BASIC for copyright infringement.
I will not use LimeWire BASIC for copyright infringement.

Selecting choice one presents the user with a message that they can’t download and use LimeWire if they have copyright infringement on their mind. Clearly this is primarily CYI legalese for Limewire. This statement is also included after affirming an intention to NOT use LimeWire for copyright infringement:

A great deal of copyrighted material is available on file sharing networks.

Please be aware that many files are not legal to share or download. Please do not download LimeWire software if you intend to use it for illegal purposes.

The info provided on the Limewire safe use page is quite good, however, and goes beyond what I would consider merely legal jargon to be cited in possible future litigation.

This is the bottom line: Families should be talking about file sharing, copyright and Internet safety issues. NetFamilyNews’ “Online-Safety Resources for the Home” is a good resource for parents and educators alike to refer to regarding P2P. This resource page (undergoing continual updates) includes background info about P2P, risks, and possible solutions as well as family policies that can address this situation.

Any household with a teenager in it (one or more) should be having discussions about P2P. That discussant group should probably be enlarged to any household with Internet access, particularly broadband access. The article from November 23, 2005, “File-sharing crackdown rages worldwide,” is but the latest reminder that these issues are likely to remain in the headlines for the foreseeable future.