Background:
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) requires the College, as an online service provider, to take certain actions when notified of alleged copyright violations appearing on its site, as well as to make certain copyright law information available to site users.

Because the College functions as an online service provider (OSP), DCMA also requires Messiah to name a designated agent to receive notice of claimed copyright violations, and to post instructions to be followed by such claimants. The necessary document has been filed with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress designating the College Webmaster as the agent. Contact information is posted on the Legal Information page. The College also provides links on this page to web sites that provide students with information about the use of music and other copyrighted material on the Internet.  Other useful information about common types of copyright infringement can be found at Top 5 Myths About Downloading Internet Music .

The College’s student and employee disciplinary procedures will be used to adjudicate situations where copyright infringement occurs.

Procedure to be followed for an alleged copyright infringement by a student or employee:

1. Any notification of alleged copyright infringement should be forwarded to the College WebMaster.
2. The Webmaster will then be responsible to contact ITS to ascertain the identity of the person whose IP address has been provided in the notification.
3. The Webmaster will be responsible to contact the alleged infringer immediately by email. This communication by the Webmaster will be copied to the Office of the Associate Dean of Students and College Counsel. It will contain:
• A copy of the original notice claiming infringement
• Instruction to remove the material within 24 hours and to notify the College Webmaster that the material has been removed
• A warning that DMCA enables the copyright owner to subpoena information concerning the student from the College
• Notification that ITS will disable the student’s network account if the material is not removed as directed
• A direction to notify the College Webmaster immediately if the recipient claims the use of the material to be lawful
4. The Webmaster will be responsible to confirm at the end of the 24 hour period that the allegedly infringing material has been removed. If it has not been removed and the Webmaster has received no claim that its use is lawful, ITS will be instructed to disable the infringer’s network account.