As long as the Internet has existed, some people have illegally uploaded and downloaded music, movies, games, and photos. And as long as TDS has been in the Internet business, we have been responsible for notifying offenders (who are TDS customers) to stop their copyright infringement activity.

But really, who’s responsible for copyright violations? The record industry continues to work with service providers to notify customers of this type of activity. Last summer, as the industry’s ability to scour the Internet and spot offenders became more sophisticated, the number of violations jumped considerably.

So far, TDS is handling copyright violations similar to others in the industry: When we are notified, we tell offenders to change their behavior. If they don’t, their service could be discontinued. Our goal is to let customers know we’re aware of their copyright infringements and that we may take action, if necessary.