The Associated Press

MURRAY, Ky. - Kentucky colleges say they are increasing efforts this fall to stop students from illegally downloading music by installing new equipment and software on school computers to block downloading.

Some colleges are even threatening to fine or expel violators while working with the recording industry to provide students legal access to online music.

The move comes after lawyers from the music filed its first suits against 40 Kentuckians in federal courts in May.

It was not immediately clear whether any of those defendants are students using college networks, but Kentucky college officials said the recording industry has warned them of specific instances of illegal downloading on their campuses.

Janice Thomasson, a network administrator at Murray State University, said before the college took new anti-downloading measures, it received about 20 warnings a month of potential illegal downloading.

The number of such record company notices varies from about 150 a semester at the University of Louisville to about 130 last year at Morehead State.

Murray State graduate student John Gibson isn't sure the crackdown on illegal downloading is going to stop some students, though.

"It's like a war," he said. "A war they just can't win. Each side comes up with something new."