Illegal Downloading "is" Stealing
Essay by review • November 10, 2010 • Essay • 532 Words (3 Pages) • 1,622 Views
Illegal Downloading "is" Stealing
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.
When you download any illegal media you are getting something for free that everyone else is required to pay a fee for. DVDs and CDs that cost others anywhere from 15 dollars to 60 dollars or more are being distributed for free as long as you have a download client. If you have programs such as Bittorent or Kazaa, you only have to find someone that already has the media on their computer, in which they either paid for the copies or they too downloaded the media illegally from someone else. On most of the "real" media (the cases), it states that you are not to distribute or copy the material because it is an illegal act, and you will be punished if caught.
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.
By downloading any type of media for free that is normally paid for through a store, unless so stated, you are breaking the law. There have been many laws written that forbid the downloading of any copyrighted materials such as music CDs, Movies, and computer programs. If you are caught downloading any of these types of media, or found to have any on your computer, you can and will be fined or even jailed. The same consequences would be applied if you were caught stealing from a store. As suggests, there is no difference if you steal from a store, or steal it through your computer.
You may think you are getting the better end of the bargain, but you are stealing from
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