In this paper I am going to talk about the issues with illegally downloading not only music, and movies but all copyrighted materials. The simple fact that just because everyone else may be doing it does not make it right to do. My personal opinion on whether I consider myself a moral person. Then lastly how this compares to the millions that Bernie Madoff stole from his clients.
Whenever you download any copyrighted materials illegally it is considered piracy since the said materials music, movies, game, etc... were not obtained by a purchase. Therefore since the material is protected under the U. S. copyright law those caught and accused can be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Those who are being convicted of a first offense could be fined up to $250,000 and five years in prison.
Besides the obvious ethical and legal issues there are other problems that many people have to deal with because of piracy. Along with any illegally downloaded material you also run the risk of exposing your computers to dangerous viruses, malware, spyware, or other unwanted software, all of these can cause your computer to run more slowly and possibly crash this can lead to costly computer repairs, loss of irreplaceable files, and in the worst cases identity theft.
Some of the free site such as piratebay may seem free but there is a hidden cost for downloading music, movies and other files from them that you may not be aware of. A lot of them will actually turn your computer into a server, or make your computer a branch in a network so that other people can download the same files faster on to their own computer making you a pack mule for illegally distributing copyrighted material. If you are or in the past have downloaded copyrighted materi...
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...nformed decision on the matter. I have also given some of my own personal views on the matter along with how it is similar to Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Along with my own morals and ethics are and how all of this relates to the automotive industry.
Works Cited
Knorr, Caroline, “Illegal Downloads: When Sharing Becomes Stealing” (November 19, 2010) https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/illegal-downloads-when-sharing-becomes-stealing (March 31, 2014)
Smith, Aaron, “Five things you didn't know about Bernie Madoff's epic scam” (December 11, 2013) http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/10/news/companies/bernard-madoff-ponzi/ (March 31, 2014)
Raustiala,Kal and Sprigman, Chris, “How Much Do Music and Movie Piracy Really Hurt the U.S. Economy?” (January 12, 2012) http://freakonomics.com/2012/01/12/how-much-do-music-and-movie-piracy-really-hurt-the-u-s-economy/ (March 31, 2014)
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “ No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing.” This quote can relate to the problem that has been going on against the piracy that has been occurring for many years. It has been occurring more now since it has been becoming easier to get access to certain files online. Personally, I think that people should be prosecuted for piracy because it is illegal, morally not right, and it causes many problems for composers.
In the modern world, as technology improves, it has become popular to obtain the digital copies of songs from online stores such as Amazon and iTunes, without even leaving the house. Unfortunately, many people choose to steal their favorite songs from countless available file sharing sites and peer to peer networks. Most music files downloaded from internet and peer to peer networks are illegal, this commonly includes MP3s created from CDs that are posted online by people who have not acquired permission from the artist or record company to do so. Downloading MP3s and other illegal music formats distress the music industry radically. It is estimated by the RIAA that 3.6 billion songs are illegally downloaded each month and It is also believed by (IFP, 2009) that 95% of music files downloaded from the internet are illegal. Thus, colossal number of dollars are lost as an eventual outcome of pirating. The primary explanation for downloading music illicitly is because it is available and free. Some music downloaders do not even feel that downloading and sharing music through peer-2-peer and copying from CDs as ‘stealing’ astute work of the musicians, composers and recording companies and this creates the problem.
Online piracy is being a threat to the business of the music, movie, and software industries. From Dictionary.com (n.d.), the definition of piracy is the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product. The focus of this paper is in the music, software, and e-book industries.
Illegally distributing copyrighted materials is harmful to the industries involved, preventing content providers from receiving money that is rightfully theirs and possibly raising costs for legitimate users. Further, doing so on a large scale has never been easier, and regulating this distribution has proven to be extremely difficult. For instance, a number of sites exist which provide their users with free Internet storage, some of which, such as FreeDrive, permitting unrestricted public access. This allows for legitimate users to access the public domain files of other users, making the sharing of non-copyrighted material such as personal pictures and information very easy. However, it also makes it incredibly simple for a dishonest person to place copyrighted materials on such a site and post a link to it, effectively distributing whatever goods he or she has to offer to the entire Internet community.
Piracy has been a problem for many years, and every time a new method of prevention is created, a new loophole is discovered. Piracy may be illegal, but because of ambiguous laws and the relative anonymity of downloading from the web, authorities will be hard pressed to ever crack down on individual bootleggers. No matter how hard people try to end piracy, there will always be people who want free music and movies and software badly enough to make copies and exchange it illegally.
There are plenty of reasons why illegally downloading music can be good or can be bad. Most music consumers are mainly for downloading illegally because they think it helps more than hurts for different reasons. Even though pirating has many negative reasons why not to do it, they still believe that the after effect will end on a positive note for the artists and/or record labels. (source 3)
Piracy is popular because of its ease of use, and widespread availability. The requirements are simple - If you've got a computer with an active internet connection, filesharing is possible. Pirates rely on a technology known as "Bit torrent" this software allows large files, like a CD or movie to be broken up into tiny pieces and shared over the internet. Let's say Johnny has a CD, he can share it over the internet with Billy. Now two people have essentially the same file. When Susan downloads the CD, half the file comes from Billy, and the other half comes from Johnny. This process continues until literally hundreds if not thousands of people "own" the file. This constant sharing speeds up downloads and ensures anonymity for both the sharer and downloader. Each person only shares a tiny piece of the file, allowing pieces to come from sources around the globe, obscuring the identities of every party involved. It is still possible to be caught by your internet service provider, but the sheer volume of pirate traffic makes it extremely difficult to catch each and every pirate.
"4 Ways In Which Internet Piracy Can Be a Good Thing." MakeUseOf. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
“Everybody does it." it is, of course piracy, currently an illegal act which one third of people in Europe do everyday. Piracy is when you digitally download something you haven’t paid for and is not licensed for you to use. The Digital Economy Act (DEA) was passed in 2010 by the last labour government. This ‘law’ is supposed to protect content producers by blocking what's known as torrent websites which allows you to download music, film and games. What is not known about this law is that it allows the government to police you whilst you are on the internet and that they are legally allowed to follow you as you browse the internet. This controversial law protects digital distributors in turn for your privacy. This law is unfit for purpose and should be removed.
Considering the case at hand, an act utilitarian might argue that downloading copyrighted material illegally is morally sound. When someone downloads a song for free off the internet, their happiness would likely increase, while the artist and record company, who are making outrageous money anyway, would likely never know the difference. Therefore, downloading the music for free would actually have the best consequences and be the right
Piracy is a form of theft. Specifically, it refers to the unauthorized copying or use of intellectual property. Intellectual property is knowledge or expression that is owned by someone. There are three major types of intellectual property: 1) creative works, including music, written material, movies, and software, which are protected by copyright law; 2) inventions, which are protected by patent law; and 3) brand-name products, which are protected by trademarks. Many of the issues surrounding piracy have to do with the difference between intellectual property and physical property. A CD, for example, is a piece of physical property, but the songs on the CD are intellectual property. A customer in a record store can purchase a CD, but someone else still owns, or more precisely, has the copyright to the songs on the CD.
Not only is downloading this media illegal, it is also morally wrong. It is our responsibility to know the difference between right and wrong - downloading this media is something that shouldn’t be done. The artists that create the CDs pay a lot of money to make the CDs for our pleasure, and in return they expect everyone to pay for their CDs (its how they make their money). In this respect, downloading illegal music through peer to peer networks is the equivalent to stealing a CD from an actual store.
Theoretically, any individual who is caught in the act of copyright infringement can be sentenced to up to five years in prison and can be fined up to $250,000, as defined in the U.S. Copyright Law. By looking at the potential consequences of digital piracy, one might see that it is quite illogical, irresponsible, and risky. Why, then, is digital piracy so prevalent? This is due to the lack of the enforcement of these copyright laws. While pirating is quite illegal, it is too painstaking and expensive to monitor an entire country’s internet usage and determine who should be prosecuted for digital piracy. Less than one percent of “pirates” actually get caught. Not only are the chances of getting caught extremely low, but also the realistic consequences are few. If an individual in the U.S. is caught pirating media, that individual would only be sent an e-mail notifying him or her of illegal activity and of the possibility of being fined if his or her illegal activity is not immediately terminated. Essentially, there is very low legal risk in digital
As explained above, illegal downloading is a great problem affecting the entertainment industry and could soon be an even bigger problem for consumers. Downloading copyrighted material illegally is just as unlawful as stealing from a store or someone’s personal item. To prevent shutting down businesses and industries, internet pirates must be stopped and actively sought after. So if one is downloading material illegally take in to mind what harm it can do to and who is being hurt in the process. Free does not mean that it’s moral or fine; one must analyze and see the consequences of such actions before they continue—otherwise, it could be the end of something great because people were stealing and driving companies out of business, with no force stopping them.
The first reason why downloading and uploading copyrighted materials from the Internet should be legal is that downloading copyrighted materials positively affects the economy. The European Commission Joint Research Center reported that the profits of music companies would be 2% lower if uploading and downloading copyrighted materials were banned. However, music companies are able to acquire more profits despite illegal downloading because many people tend to purchase CDs or DVDs after watching or listening to copyrighted materials for free. Moreover, the research showed that people who download music illegally spent more money to buy music than people who did not download illegally. In addition, research conducted by the Swiss government informed that one-third of Swiss people downloaded copyrighted materials from the Internet because personal use of copyrighted materials is legal in Switzerland. Even though there is a fact that many people can download copyrighted materials from the Internet legally in Switzerland, the amount of money that people spend to buy copyrighted materials is not f...