This spring appears to be a banner season for carelessness, both on campus and off. For example, Lupton was set ablaze by a rather silly toilet paper mishap. Of course, the bathroom conflagration was an isolated incident, and it comes to mind quickly only because it happened recently and because it was so strange.

What is no longer strange is the concept of students being caught downloading music illegally. We are not so naive as to believe students will stop downloading music entirely, or even necessarily that anyone should do so; the nature of intellectual property continues to confound even the finest of philosophers. The Recording Industry Association of America, however, sent 20 pre-litigation letters to Vanderbilt students, and there is little excuse for this predicament. The RIAA is a well-known threat to downloaders, and media coverage of their antics has flooded the airwaves since the original incarnation of Napster; RIAA members even formed the Web site www.p2plawsuits.com, which possesses a convenient credit card processor for the payment of settlements.

The RIAA has many resources at its disposal, but even a slightly knowledgeable computer user can lessen his chances of becoming a target of copyright infringement lawsuits. The first and most important step is to do research. Information on how to circumvent the RIAA's measures is practically everywhere on the Internet, and when the Internet fails, it is time to consult a nerdy friend. There is no reason in this age of rapid technological progress to use the same downloading tool in college that was used in middle school; the RIAA, after all, has access to the same Internet we do, and, while they are slow in researching new technologies, they eventually catch up to the curve.
The Hustler does not condone copyright infringement, but safety is a paramount concern because the Internet is a dangerous place. As with many other scenarios, the safest means is abstinence, but if you must download, use protection.