I don't know about you but I have definitely fallen victim of downloading music illegally. Yesterday I was going through my normal morning routine; driving to class and listening to kicks 96 when I heard some startling news. A man was being sued for an incredible amount of money for downloading music illegally. At this point I didn't know how much he was being sued for, I was just thinking about how many people I know, including myself and family members, that have downloaded illegally. I can honestly say that I do not download music near as much as I use to and now when I do it is usually through iTunes. When I returned home from class I immediately got on the computer and researched this issue. I came upon an article on foxnes.com and I learned that “In 2009, a Boston jury downgraded a ruling against Joel Tenenbaum for illegally downloading music files from $675,000 to just $67,500, deeming the original penalty "unconstitutionally excessive." Now in 2011, an appeals court has ruled that Tenenbaum must pay the $675,000. I’m unaware of how much music he actually downloaded before getting caught. “Lawyers representing the recording industry argued that the economic impact of illegal downloading is much greater than the sharing of one song”.
Now that I have friends trying to ‘make it’ in the music industry, I can relate sympathetically to the artists and record companies. The bands around Savannah make a good amount of their income from album sales. If people continue to download illegally and refuse to purchase music, these bands are left with little hope for their future. So next time you go to download music files make sure you are paying for them, so you aren’t left with a HUGE lawsuit to pay in the end.
Now that I have friends trying to ‘make it’ in the music industry, I can relate sympathetically to the artists and record companies. The bands around Savannah make a good amount of their income from album sales. If people continue to download illegally and refuse to purchase music, these bands are left with little hope for their future. So next time you go to download music files make sure you are paying for them, so you aren’t left with a HUGE lawsuit to pay in the end.
I am totally guilty of downloading music illegally. Although I do buy cd's online, mostly from the artists I truly looove. I think to be sued you would have to download millions of songs and then share them with millions of people. It's that type of web that is getting people in trouble. They aren't going to arrest Joe Blow with 300 hundred songs. Some universities do have the power to press charges against students stealing music on a university internet connection. Cool article!
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting ethical issue. The general problem isn't just with music -- it extends even to journalism, with blogs and other sites routinely reposting entire articles. That's a practice that inevitably devalues the product.
ReplyDeleteI am such a dinosaur that I will not copy my CDs and give them to anyone. I totally get the concept of copyright and the repercussions that go with it. My husband recently asked me to copy one of his CDs so he could give it to a friend and I had to tell him no. I have been surprised at some of my friends who do it on a regular basis and don't acknowledge it as stealing.
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