What is a copyright infringement?

Email "notice of copyright infringement"? What steps do i take?

• LOCATION Dear XXXXXXX We recently received the attached notice from Fox claiming that your Internet account may have been used for copyright infringement. Specifically, Fox claims that your account was used to reproduce and/or distribute copyrighted content without authorization to other users of an Internet-based file-sharing network. We are forwarding this notice at the request of Fox -- please see the enclosed document. Content providers such as Fox routinely monitor file-sharing networks to determine if their copyrighted movies and music are being distributed illegally over the Internet. Fox identified your AT&T account by its numeric IP address, a string of numbers identifiable by any site from which you upload or download files. When an Internet user connects to file-sharing networks, the IP address assigned to the computer connected to the Internet becomes publicly available to other members of the network. Consistent with our Customer Privacy Policy, AT&T has not released your name or any other personal information to Fox, but is forwarding this notice to you so that this issue may be resolved without any further action. You should be aware that copyright infringement is a violation of U.S. law, and potentially punishable by fines and other criminal penalties. It also is a violation of the AT&T Acceptable Use Policy, which governs your use of AT&T Internet services. If infringing activity persists, Fox may choose to seek a court order requiring AT&T to provide it with your name and address so it can pursue legal action against you. By forwarding this complaint, AT&T is not making any accusation of wrongdoing. Rather, we are bringing Fox's notice to your attention so that you can take prompt and appropriate steps to prevent any further activity of this nature from occurring over your Internet account. Steps you may consider taking include: 1)Ceasing any sharing of copyrighted content that might be occurring via file sharing software, services or networks; 2)Securing your home Wi-Fi network to ensure others are not accessing the Internet through your connection to download or distribute illegal content; 3)Talking with family members or guests who may have used your Internet connection in ways you are not aware of; 4)Using virus and spyware protection software to protect against security threats and ensure your Internet connection is not being used in ways that you have not authorized; 5)Learning how federal copyright law applies to online activities by visiting the U.S. Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/. Violations of the Acceptable Use Policy can result in termination of your AT&T service. We encourage you to review the AT&T Acceptable Use Policy online at http://www.corp.att.com/aup/ and the AT&T Customer Privacy Policy at http://www.att.com/privacy. AT&T is committed to protecting your personal information and ensuring the best possible online experience for all customers. Please review the attached letter for information regarding the alleged copyright infringement. If you have any questions regarding your AT&T Internet account or AT&T policies, please call us at 1-866-618-7991 or email us at [email protected]. Notice of Copyright Infringement Re: Unauthorized Use of Fox Property Notice ID: XXXXXXXXX Notice Date: XXXX Dear Sir or Madam: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION and its affiliated companies (col= lectively, "Fox") own intellectual property rights, including exclusive = rights protected under copyright law, in many motion pictures, televisio= n programs and other audiovisual works (collectively, the Fox Titles). = We believe that your SBC Internet Services Internet account is being use= d to reproduce and/or distribute copies of one or more Fox Titles on the= Internet, in violation of Fox's legal rights. We have set forth at the = close of this letter the details concerning this infringement, including= the title(s) of the Fox Title(s) in question, the IP address of your ac= count at the time of the infringement, and the date and time of the infr= ingement. The documentation included at the end of this notice specifies= the location of the infringement. The audiovisual works being offered = through your Internet account include the following: FILE TITLE The copying and/or distribution of copies of copyrighted audiovisual wor= ks without the authorization of the copyright owner constitutes copyrigh= t infringement under the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. section 106, 501.= This conduct may subject you to significant liability, including statut= ory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work for willful infringemen= t. Under certain circumstances, copyright infringement can give rise to = federal criminal liability, with penalties as high as five years impriso= nment plus a $250,000 fine. (See 17 U.S.C. section 506; 18 U.S.C. sectio= n 2319.)=20

• Answer:

  1)Ceasing any sharing of copyrighted content that might be occurring via file sharing software, services or networks; 2)Securing your home Wi-Fi network to ensure others are not accessing the Internet through your connection to download or distribute illegal content; 3)Talking with family members or guests who may have used your Internet connection in ways you are not aware of; 4)Using virus and spyware protection software to protect against security threats and ensure your Internet connection is not being used in ways that you have not authorized; 5)Learning how federal copyright law applies to online activities by visiting the U.S. Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/.