Lawrence+Tan+on+Downloading+Issue


 * Is DOWNLOAD or ACCESS of materials in the net still an ISSUE?﻿**

Personally, I think this is somewhat a difficult question to answer because we cannot deem something truly a "non-issue" just because people or in this case students have stopped complaining or take action upon it. An example of this is the reaction towards the dress code DLSU issued this school year. Initially, it was made an issue by a lot of students and organizations but as a term went by, the issue made upon it slowly dwindled down. **Does this really mean that it has become a non-issue? Or does it only mean that students have given up on trying to persuade the university to abolish it because it has already been implemented?**
 * __Something to ponder upon__**

__**My own take**__ Taking this as a premise, basing this question on my own personal belief, I think this is not an issue anymore **GIVEN the fact that we know the benefits and the downsides** of banning download and access of certain materials at the school campus. Initially, I think most of us will disagree with this decision because we will say we have the right to know, that we pay a large amount of money for internet access, that some materials (downloading freeware on torrent sites) that are banned are essential for us students, but I think it goes back to the main concept that **a university is an educational institution**. Yes, there will be occurrences of some materials essential to studies being banned, but allowing the download of it also comes the fact that you allow students to download pirated copies or even adult materials on the internet. **I'm not saying DLSU students are not to be trusted, I'm just saying its a risk you don't necessarily want to take.** Taking the dress code again as an example, I don't think the university is essentially implying that its students aren't responsible enough to dress appropriately, it just goes to show how it wants to eliminate that risk, that percent chance that a student will dress inappropriately. Moreover, this issue will also make its way to my next point...

__**A Technological Matter**__ Based on my previous opinion, I'm sure some of us will say "Then allow the downloading of legal torrents, and don't allow the downloading of illegal ones". The question that should be answered is **"Do we have the technology to do that?** A technology to filter downloaded contents", which is unfortunately no. As we understand this fact, it goes back to my previous take, how allowing downloading of legal files also allows downloading of illegal ones.

Personally, I never experienced the feeling that these limitations have restricted my capacity in learning. If it's of any importance, I think it only enhanced my capacity to learn because it eliminates the chance for me to download non-educational related materials. Moreover, I think **if a student really needs these files, they will and can download these at home.**
 * Does it RESTRICT or ENHANCE learning?**

Again, it all goes back to the concept that the university is an educational institution. I think the downloading from torrents, if it is implied it is used for educational purposes, is only a complement because MSDNA and other university parters are enough. More importantly, because the technology to filter out downloaded materials from P2P programs such as torrents doesn't exists, allowing it only poses a potential risk for an educational institution while not allowing it poses a smaller problem. **It all boils down to how not allowing it will pose more benefits that it will in allowing it.**
 * In Conclusion**