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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter: ?UNC internet monitor violates privacy

TO THE EDITOR:

I wonder how many UNC students are aware that, in order to access the Internet from their residence halls and University apartments, they have installed on their computer a program that constantly scans their hard drive for unspecified security threats and objectionable software.

Am I the only student spooked by the Enterasys NAC Assessment Agent?

This tool verifies that every computer using the network has up-to-date antivirus software, is otherwise protected against threats and does not have file-sharing software installed (the ITS web page has a detailed description of the program).

Am I the only one uncomfortable with this broad reach into my private domain?

Then there is the issue of file-sharing software. When the tool finds programs like BitTorrent, the software must be removed for continued access to the network, despite the fact that downloading of file-sharing software is not illegal.

Ironically, some students’ file-sharing activity may actually be for legal, academic purposes such as listening to music for a music appreciation class paper.

Going along with this type of scanning puts us on a slippery slope. What prevents the University from expanding its scanning activities? Students could certainly be spending their time more wisely than looking at porn. And what about those nude photographs that are borderline?

Perhaps documents and quotations from politically unpopular individuals could also one day be targeted.

I hope to see some kind of discussion on the merits and dangers of this software.

William Maxwell

Graduate Student

Geography

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