Would you steal someone’s car? Would you rob someone’s house? Would you take something without paying for it? Well believe it or not you are partaking in all of these practices when you make the decision to download music illegally.
The illegal downloading of licensed music off the internet is an issue that the music industry has been battling with for the past few years. To make this more of an issue there are certain laws in some countries that allow the downloading. The U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act states that it is considered legal for you to purchase a music CD and rip it to MP3 players for your own use. Uploading these files without the purchase would be considered violation of the law.
Why you may ask is this such a big deal? If you have access to all the music you want with the simple click of the mouse the assumption is that you will not be purchasing the artists record causing the music industry to lose profits. According to
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/2004/music_downloading.asp
Sales have declined 20 percent globally since 1999 when this became an issue.
This has came to the point where infraction with the law can be sentenced with time in prison and fines $250,000. This seems a bit harsh considering that it is so common among today’s youth.
Where will the all end? Is this an issue that will worsen the more technology develops? And who says that today’s artists don’t make enough already? Being a former “criminal” I understand how easy it is to just download your music instead of having to fork out $20 of your hard earned money.
The real question is if just one click of the mouse is worth one slam of door on your prison cell.
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Illigally downloading music is kind of a weird controversey. Yes it is wrong, because technically it is stealing, but personally i think todays music artists are so rediculously over payed, that it wont really affect them. Sure if everyone downloaded music, the artists couldnt make a living, but to fine a normal hardworking person $250,000 for $10-20 worth of music seems more wrong to me. Itunes did a good job selling all their tracks for $1 because its easy, convienient, and sometimes even cheaper. Good post
ReplyDeleteHey Nicolette! I think you made a great point on how bad illegally downloading music really is. Now a days it is so easy to do that we don't even think about how bad it is anymore. Although, beebo36 also has a good point when he says the artists make so ridiculously much money it really doesn't affect them, laws are laws. I know someone on this campus who got caught illegally downloading music and had to pay a $5,000 fine. I guess its up to the person whether it would be cheaper to buy the music or take a chance and possilby end up having to pay the fine...or worse.
ReplyDeleteWhen you put it like that, it does make people think about it. However, I think there is a bit of a difference in stealing a car and downloading a song, one is a bit more serious. But you are right, both are types of theft, just different types. I personally don't download music off the interent but I know many people who do. I don't think they think of it as stealing however. So many people do it they just feel like it is the norm.
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