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File sharing of copyrighted material for which you do not own the copyright is illegal and is an infringement upon copyright laws. It is important to note that not all file sharing is illegal, however the example provided above is considered by the University as illegal.

According to  is defined as " . . . the practice of distributing or providing access to digital media . . . " .  There are a variety of file sharing practices that may be performed, the most common being:  

• copy, storage, transmission, and dispersion to include manual sharing or utilizing removable media;
• World Wide Web-based hyperlinked documents;
• peer-to-peer (P2P networking services (e.g., BitTorrent);
• centralized file-hosted service (also referred to as cyberlocker)

There are inherent risks since some of these programs are often laced with spyware and may also open up your device to the Internet.  If you are identified as illegally using a file sharing program, cyberlocker service, or streaming to share or download copyright material like movies, television shows, sports, music, or games you may be subject to loss of Internet access (including e-mail) at the University.  Additionally, violation of Â鶹¹ÙÍø Information Security Policies may result in disciplinary action for employees and students, up to and including termination of employment, suspension and/or expulsion. 

For more information visit the follow websites or contact us at security@utep.edu.

• The University of Texas at El Paso Information Resources Use and Security Policy (PDF)
• Â鶹¹ÙÍø Standard 2: Acceptable Use of Information Resources (PDF)
• Â鶹¹ÙÍø Copyright Infringement Awareness Bulletin
• Â鶹¹ÙÍø Copyright Infringements Presentation (PDF)
• Infracciones De Derechos De Autor (PDF)