Politicos near vote on anti-P2P rules for universities

WASHINGTON--A U.S. House of Representatives committee plans to vote Wednesday afternoon on a Hollywood-backed higher education bill that would deprive colleges and universities of their financial aid funding if they don't agree to provide deterrents and "alternatives" to peer-to-peer piracy.

A provision buried in the 747-page College Opportunity and Affordability Act (PDF) requires schools to devise a plan for providing "alternatives" to unlawful downloading--as well as "a plan to explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity." Those requirements would be added to an existing list of conditions for receiving federal student financial aid.

A final vote in the House Education and Labor Committee could occur late Wednesday, but because of the bill's massive size, the meeting may continue into Thursday, committee aides said.

In effect, the bill as-is could pressure schools into signing up for monthly subscription services such as Ruckus and Napster. (Ruckus.com's chief executive, for his part, has endorsed the effort.)

University officials have voiced alarm at the prospect of losing a combined total of some $100 billion in federal financial aid if their plans don't pass muster. The Association of American Universities has voiced its disapproval to committee leaders through a letter last week, and Educause, a non-profit organization that focuses on technology use in education, has issued an action alert urging the requirements to be dropped.

At the moment, however, it appears the provisions stand a good chance of surviving the scheduled vote Wednesday. A committee aide said approximately 25 amendments are expected to be proposed at the meeting, but to her knowledge, none of them would alter the antipiracy requirements.

The bill's sponsors say it's a "myth" that schools will lose their financial aid if illegal file sharing occurs on their networks or will be forced into using "alternative" file-sharing programs that cost them millions of dollars.

In a fact sheet sent to CNET News.com by a committee aide on Wednesday, they wrote, "The bill does not mandate the use of any programs by colleges. Colleges and universities are simply required to report their campus policies on intellectual property theft, including their penalties, and to develop plans for addressing illegal file-sharing. For schools that want additional assistance in stopping illegal file sharing, the bill creates a voluntary grant program."

Check back with CNET News.com later on Wednesday as we track the bill's path.

[Pete Bardo]

The more things change...

Wow. I must be getting old. In the 60's and 70's, college administrations provided somewhat of a buffer zone between students and law enforcement.

Now the government wants to hole colleges responsible for (illegal) student activities. This is disturbing in a number of ways. Now whenever law enforcement agencies are unable to enforce ridiculous laws, they try to force private people and organizations to do their dirty work.

Reminds me of an old 'folk' song, The John Birch Society--"if your mommy is a commie, then you've got to turn her in."

[baconstang]

What is so "ridiculous"...

...about enforcing copyright laws that have been on the books 100
+ years?

[Renegade Knight]

Misguided Redundant Policy

It's the job of the University to be an Instituation of Higher Learning. They also have other important functions. Enforcing the law is for the police. Distractions from this core mission that can't even be deemed to be related are a waste of time and money for the university, for the congress, and for the taxpayer.

In the long run the more unfunded Federal Mandates that are piled on top of all the other Federal mandates will allow Universties to one day say "It now costs us more money to pay for Federal requirments to get Federal money than actual Federal money we recieve, so we are pulling the plug"

That also means that every new string makes Federal money less effective since more and more has to be diverted to string managment.

[Below Meigh]

And just who will enforce this?

Do you think the FBI will invest resources on "terrorizing" college students for the RIAA/MPAA extortionists?
Will local law enforcement be given jurisdiction over campus proctors?
Isn't it enough that tuition is still high at 80% of the schools that get help? Although most universities receive endowments/gifts in more amounts then what they receive from the fed.

Why is it that the government doesn't forsee its own coronary as it continues to load pork after pork for other interests, unrelated to the bettering of society? And continues to placate old business? (FCC in MaBell's pocket. 3 senators in RIAA/MPAA pocket...)