Welcome to Legal2Share

We all love music! We’re able to carry it with us everywhere we go. However, there's lots of controversy about where and how we get our music. As a result of easy access to music downloads and file sharing software, it seems like everyone downloads music from the Internet. But a lot of music downloads are illegal. Record labels are displeased with illegal file sharing and have gone as far as to sue some music downloaders (at many UC campuses!!!). Many people are confused and have concerns about music access via the Internet and we hope these web pages will help you understand the issues… For example, why do people get sued for downloading music? (Please take a minute and visit http://dmca.ucr.edu for the answer.) And is there a way to legally download music? (YES and you’ve found the site to help you!!!)

Very importantly, the biggest issue about downloading music is where we get it from and what we do with it. If you download copyrighted music from the web without paying for it, or burn music onto CDs and give them away (or sell them!), it’s illegal and you might be prosecuted.

But we all still need our music…

So, UCR has partnered with several UC campuses to provide alternatives to illegal file sharing. On this site, you’ll find notes about two companies, Ruckus and Mindawn, that are providing UCR students with access to high quality, legal digital media at competitive prices. There is also information about iTunes, a very popular source for iPod music downloads. Our effort to promote these legal services is in part a response to student requests for safe environment for music downloads.

New and exciting news! As of April 2007, all UCR students are being offered a FREE Ruckus membership! Download or listen to as much music as you want, all at no cost to you. Click here to learn more about Ruckus services.

We hope you’ll check back often for more information about legal file sharing options, new services from Ruckus and Mindawn, and updates about other sources for legal music downloads.

Thoughts? Feedback? Please let us know… E-mail legal2share@ucr.edu.

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