James Madison University to Form First "DFU" Chapter

WASHINGTON - The Digital Freedom Campaign, a broad-based coalition of artists, consumers, and innovators seeking balanced copyright reform for the digital world, today announced a major initiative to launch college campus chapters around the country that will promote the freedom of students to participate fully in the digital revolution. The first such chapter announced today will be established at Virginia’s James Madison University.

The ‘Digital Freedom University’ initiative will expand the ability of student leaders and campus-based artists and innovators to make their voice heard in Washington, D.C., as the rights to acquire and use content in the digital age is debated. The Digital Freedom University chapters will provide a base for students to help them better understand their "fair use" rights in the digital age, rights that protect their ability to listen to legally purchased content as they choose.

The Campaign, which is strongly opposed to illegal downloads and piracy, views students as an important cutting-edge audience that must be educated—not threatened. "The Digital Freedom Campaign believes that the best way to reach college students about the appropriate uses of technology is to engage them, not prosecute them," said Campaign spokesman Don Goldberg.  "While illegal music downloads continue to be a serious challenge on college campuses, students are the catalysts of the digital age and are far more likely to respect the rights of artists if their digital freedoms are respected as well. "

As evidenced by the explosion of social networking and digital innovation taking place on campuses across the country, the Digital Freedom Campaign believes that students deserve a role in shaping the policies of our digital future. To that end, the campaign will begin today inviting student leaders to open Digital Freedom University chapters on college campuses nationwide.

The Digital Freedom University initiative will finally give college students a method to organize themselves and have their voices heard by policymakers in Washington. "The Campaign will connect consumer-friendly artists with artist-friendly consumers on college campuses through the Digital Freedom Network," continued Goldberg. "By bringing the two communities together, we can help identify innovative opportunities for artists to reach new audiences and monetize new revenue streams provided by new technologies."

The campaign invites all interested college students to contact the Campaign by email at dfu@digitalfreedom.org to learn how to start a Digital Freedom college chapter on their campus. The Campaign will also reach out directly to student leaders to help organize campus activities. This opportunity will provide students with valuable leadership experience, as well as exposure to public affairs and grassroots organizing and promotion.

Since the campaign’s launch in October of 2006 over 60 bands, 30 consumer and advocacy organizations, and thousands of consumers have signed the Digital Freedom Bill Of Sights and Sounds petition with more signing up each day.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit www.digitalfreedom.org to learn more about the campaign and sign the Bill of Sights and Sounds to show policymakers the broad base of support that exists for the protection of consumer, artist, and innovator rights in the digital age.