While free pornography is readily available on the Internet, it is important to consider all of the costs associated with it. In addition to the obvious financial cost, there are also hidden expenses that can come in the form of time commitment and possible addiction. These costs should be weighed against the benefits of pornography.
Peer-to-peer file sharing
Not long ago file sharing over the internet was a shadowy type of activity that lived on the dark side of the net used by music-sharing college students and bootleg software pirates. While it still has its shady sides, peer-to-peer file sharing is now mainstream and becoming big business.
P2P networks consist of a collection of computers, each with a special application that allows them to share files with one another. The software breaks large files into smaller bits or ‘peers’. A peer can then download any part of the file from another peer on the network. The more peers there are on a network the quicker the download will be since the file can be downloaded from multiple sources at once. When a peer requests a specific file, it sends a query to its neighbors asking if they have the requested file. If they do, the peer will respond with the file name and size.
Peer-to-peer file sharing can be illegal if it violates copyright law. Illinois State University has opted to block P2P networking technology on ResNet and wireless on campus in order to protect our students from potential legal action by trade organizations such as the Recording Industry Association of America and movie studios.
There are many legitimate uses for file sharing programs, however using p2p, ftp or irc to distribute copyrighted works without permission of the copyright holder is against the law and University Policy. Content owners are actively targeting universities with aggressive strategies, including forwarding early settlement letters and filing infringement lawsuits.
Some file-sharing programs never actually close when you “close” them. Others stay connected to the network even when you shut down your computer or disconnect your Internet connection. This may allow them to share your files and your personal information with others.
Some peer-to-peer file sharing programs have built-in security features that prevent the transfer of malware and viruses. Make sure your program has these features and use it regularly to ensure it is working properly. Also, consider creating individual user accounts on your computer limiting access to certain data and programs.