Digital Piracy: The Problems And Consequences Of Digital Media Piracy

One of today’s biggest problems and controversies is what is known as digital media piracy or internet piracy. This term refers to the illegal trade of media that is currently protected under copyright laws. Digital piracy is commonly seen in obtaining music or video files, video games, and software for free when it would have alternatively cost money. This problem is most prevalent in countries such as the Columbia, Germany, and China. As the media industries have claimed that digital piracy is a heinous crime and is causing great harm to their business, law enforcement agencies have begun to look into the issue to some extent. To solve this issue, agencies must know why digital piracy is occurring and why it so prevalent. The problem

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

In today’s economy, the prices on goods are higher than ever before. The prices are, specifically, higher on media-related goods, such as songs and movies. Some digital pirates believe that the prices on these goods are too high and that the beneficiaries of the high prices, such as the companies of the media industry (e.g. Microsoft), do not deserve all of the money they are receiving. These individuals believe that since the prices on these goods are not going to drop, they will just take them without paying. This is their act of justice, in their eyes. This theory of equity is the most controversial aspect of digital