Jim Porter and Martine Rife have authored a position paper in response to the MGM v. Grokster decision handed down yesterday.

Read and comment here: http://www.wide.msu.edu/widepapers/grokster/

Here's a snippet:

MGM v. Grokster: Implications for Educators and Writing Teachers

What are the implications of this case for institutions of higher education in general, for research, for rhetoric and writing, and for writing teachers? The recording and film industries (e.g., RIAA, MPAA) will read the Court’s opinion as broadly as possible and may use it to go after another type of filesharing intermediary: the university. Clearly universities are not promoting copyright infringement by their students, as were Grokster and StreamCast. However, the recording and film industries are likely to use the ruling as a basis for litigation holding universities responsible for copyright infringements by students. Few if any universities will have the will or resources to fight such litigation – and so the result of Grokster, unfortunately, could be a chilling effect: Universities might crack down on students’ (and teachers’) filesharing practices.