Internet
Introduction
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
ISP Liability
ISP Third-Party Liability
Deceptive ISP Offers
Choosing an ISP
Complaints Against ISPs
Bloggers And Free Speech
Limits On Internet Usage
Privacy and Security on the Internet
Internet Commerce
Launching An Online Business
Internet Fraud
Television
Radio
Movie Rating Systems
Telephones
Faxes
ISP Third-Party Liability
In order to provide ISPs with a "safe harbor"-a way to avoid liability for copyright infringement-Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Online Copyright Infringement Limitation Act (OCILLA).
Specifically, the OCILLA limits the liability of online service providers for copyright infringement in situations where the ISP had no knowledge that the copyrighted material was being displayed or published without permission. However, the protection evaporates if the offending material is not removed expeditiously by the ISP from the site displaying the copyrighted material.
SIDEBAR: A special exception to the no knowledge requirement has been created for public and nonprofit educational institutions. The exception allows the schools to avoid liability even when the copyright offender is a member of the faculty or a research graduate student. Of course, the college or university must immediately block or remove the copyrighted material.