Dangerous downloads: Be wary of peer-to-peer programs

  • Published
  • By Capt. Carlos De Dios
  • 341st Missile Wing Staff Judge Advocate Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Nothing in life is free. With the power of the Internet and peer-to-peer computer programs, many would disagree. 

Peer-to-peer programs like LimeWire, BitTorrent, and the infamous Napster have been around for many years. Users can type in their favorite song, movie, or picture and instantly download a "free" computer file copy from another person using that same program.
 
As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for," and persons using peer-to-peer programs may, in fact, get more than they bargained for. State and federal laws make it illegal to download copyrighted music, movies and other materials. Penalties can be as high as five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. In addition to these possible civilian criminal court system sentences, military members also may face courts-martial or other punitive or administrative actions for engaging in this illegal behavior. 

Worse yet, inadvertent downloads may place a user in danger of becoming a registered sex offender. For example, a user can enter a search term or terms and direct his peer-to-peer software to download all files that are found. Unknown to the user, such files may contain child pornography and this could result in the user being investigated for engaging in very serious criminal activity. 

If you elect to use peer-to-peer programs, you should be aware these programs may give strangers using the same program access to your computer. Some programs use the "my documents" folder on a computer to share your information with the rest of the world. Computer hackers use this access to steal personal information and spread computer viruses to unsuspecting users. 

To prevent being suspected of criminal activity and to protect your personal information, it is critical that you act very carefully when using peer-to-peer programs. In fact, it may be wise to uninstall such programs from your computers to ensure users of your computers don't engage in unwise activities. 

If you have any questions regarding the potential legal pitfalls of peer-to-peer software, call the legal office at 731-2878.