The Birth of Napster To The Death of Privacy One of the most debated issues before our society is the issue of internet privacy. Privacy is such a valued concept that in today's world we pay good money in order to keep intruders out of our computer systems and out of our lives. Peer-to-Peer downloading is a major factor to the internet privacy issue. Peer-to-Peer downloading (also known as "file sharing") is considered by Microsoft to be "the act of making files on one computer accessible to others on a network." The original use of file sharing was simply meant for users to send files to one another. It has now become one of the biggest dilemmas of our modern society. Does the government have the right to search your private files on your computer and sue you if they have been illegally obtained? Is the government right to shut down sites that aid peer-to-peer downloading, yet do not share the files themselves? In order to understand the issue of peer-to-peer downloading, we must first understand the programs that were and are still being used. Going back to the 1970's we see the first program created to exchange information between two or more users. The CBBS (Computerized Bulletin Board System) was created by Ward Christensen to be able to transfer computer files through an internet connection. Because of the primitive computer technology available at the time, the CBBS had its limitations but was still considered very useful. Next in line in the file sharing timeline is a program called File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Being created in 1985, it was a simple file-sharing program. The most important program throughout peer-to-peer programs history was the project that began in 1999 by a young 19-year old; it start... ... middle of paper ... ...and how did it start 2. What is it being used for 3. The effects of Peer-to-Peer downloading and how the government is violating our rights to control it. II. The different programs beings used 1. First programs to be used 2. Napster 3. BitTorrent III. The pro's of peer-to-peer downloading 1. Who is benefiting from this and how? IV. The neg's of peer-to-peer downloading 1. Who is losing out from this and how? V. What have different countries done with "internet policing 1. Laws that have been passed to stop "sharing" 2. Methods in which the government has put forth to stop "sharing" VI. What have these programs and sites done to fight these steps the government has taken 1. What sites have already been affected 2. What individuals have been affected (12-yr old) VII. Who is violating who? 1. What should be done? 2. What will happen in the future?
In America, there is currently a lawsuit pending that threatens to change the face of the music industry. The lawsuit is against Napster it has been brought by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as well as other major music labels.
The Napster Controversy From the writings of Burke I get the understanding that he believes that representation is done through the idea of symbols; symbol making, symbol using and symbol misusing. He believes that we use language, that we use it best in a nonverbal way in which we all can understand. And that language verbal or not is the essential key to all representations through any lens or idea. He also believed that we invented the idea of anything to be negative and that we are what makes things negative.
For some time now companies, copyright owners and Congress have tried to develop a security standard to protect copyrighted works from unauthorized reproduction and distribution, but they have not yet found a thoroughly effective solution. They know that shutting down all P2P networks is not the right response since file sharing is valuable to some extent since its method of sharing and transferring information supports a variety of efficient business models. Instead they want to deal with the copyright infringements that P2P networks facilitate.
What trends in networking in the 1990’s and early 2000’s drove the popularity of Napster? What other technologies contributed to Napster’s success?
"4 Ways In Which Internet Piracy Can Be a Good Thing." MakeUseOf. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
Along with the development of a file format (MP3) to store digital audio recordings, came one of the new millennium’s most continuous debates – peer-to-peer piracy – file sharing. Internet companies such as Napster and Grokster became involved in notable legal cases in regards to copyright laws in cyberspace. These two cases are similar in nature, yet decidedly different. In order to understand the differences and similarities, one should have an understanding of each case as well as the court’s ruling.
Peer-to-peer is a communications model in which each party has the same capabilities and either party can initiate a communication session. Other models with which it might be contrasted include the client/server model and the master/slave model. In some cases, peer-to-peer communications is implemented by giving each communication node both server and client capabilities. In recent usage, peer-to-peer has come to describe applications in which users can use the Internet to exchange files with each other directly or through a mediating server.
Although online file sharing debuted in 1999, lawmakers and copyright industries are just beginning to address the myriad questions the practice has generated. In At Issue: Internet Piracy, authors attempt to answer some of those questions.
As can be seen, from the information presented, the need for laws and restrictions concerning internet data collection is greatly needed. Moreover, the government can search private citizens data without warrant or cause. Also, companies are not only collecting internet user data but also selling it. The companies and agencies who commit such crimes should be fined or either closed down. In closing, the privacy and security of individuals on the internet should be upheld by the United States government.
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...
Today, society is affected by the many advances in technology. These advances affect almost every person in the world. One of the prevalent advances in technology was the invention and mass use of the Internet. Today more than ever, people around the world use the Internet to support their personal and business tasks on a daily basis. The Internet is a portal into vast amounts of information concerning almost every aspect of life including education, business, politics, entertainment, social networking, and world security. (idebate.com) Although the Internet has become a key resource in developing the world, the mass use of Internet has highlighted a major problem, privacy and the protection of individual, corporate, and even government security . The argument over whether or not the Internet should be controlled by the government has developed into a controversial issue in almost every country in the world.
All around the world people connected to the internet are downloading free digital content through P2P file sharing software.
With the popularity of the Internet, sales for CDs, DVDs, Movies, and many other products have increased. Along with the increase of sales has brought forth an ever increasing problem of illegal media being downloaded. Programs such as Bittorent, Kazaa, and other direct-connect networking programs have allowed the transferring of such illegal media. Downloading song files from the Internet over a free peer to peer network is the moral equivalent of shoplifting music CDs from the local mall.
At the dawn of the internet, many things such as books and text became obsolete, due to insufficient monitoring of internet activity and sites. Individuals were able to gain free access to books and publications that normally needed to be bought, or required a fee. This is something that has caused problems for booksellers and publishers. Now, as technology advances, it also begins the decline of music, software, and television industries—but something can be done before it’s too late. Illegal downloading is a problem that affects us all, either directly or indirectly. Many people do not take it too seriously. They have not realized that it is an epidemic; like a disease that keeps growing as people become more knowledgeable about computers and learn more about how software runs. People openly burn music CDs and download music and movies for friends who in turn give it to their friends; it’s a never-ending cycle on illegal practices. The problem started when Napster came out and should have ended when it was shutdown. Unfortunately, not enough has been done to stop the illegal transfer of files. It’s time someone takes full action and ends this detrimental offense.
Now let’s flash forward back to present day when all that doesn’t happen anymore. Instead of saving of our money and begging our parents to take us to the store to buy a newly released album, we simply get on our computer, go to a website and download the album for free. It doesn’t matter what website it is, whether it is Limewire, Frostwire, or Pirate Bay, people will be happy with their free album. There are still some kids to this day who enjoy going to the store and buying and listening to an album the old-fashioned way but we have to wonder how bad things will get as more and more people are getting equipped with the Internet and the use of downloading music. While the internet might be making life easier for all, the growing use of downloading music on the Internet is growing into a detrimental and illegal problem.