File Sharing
File sharing is a tricky topic to pin as right or wrong, simply because there are so many different types of file sharing. According to the RIAA file sharing simply means stealing, but is it really that clear cut? Does that mean that when a dance school, who has spent hundreds of dollars buying pieces of classical music on CD, compile their master CD for a performance that they are stealing? It is for that reason that I do not believe that file sharing is a clear cut good or bad. By the RIAA's standards, I am a dirty pirate because I have taken music off CD's I have bought and compile them onto one CD for a roadtrip.
I believe that once a person has bought a CD they have the right to do whatever they want with it, as long as they gain no profits from it. A consumer should be allowed to make an extra copy of the CD, in case the original gets scratched or they want a copy for their car. They should be allowed to rip tracks and make mixed CD's. And why shouldn't they? They have spent the money on that CD and I don't think an artist should expect to profit twice on one CD per one consumer. I'm pretty sure that music artists don't go out and buy two copies of every CD they want. These actions are all ethical and I don't think any artist is going to lose profit from these examples.
The other side to this coin is illegally downloading music. Though I will admit to having done it on occasion, I do believe that this is wrong. My experiences with downloading music consist of music that is not available in America, had the tracks or CD's been available in America I would have gladly purchased them. In this particular instance, I don't think I have committed any great crime. It is not me who is causing these artists to lose profit, but rather record distributors. My downloading has taken nothing from them because I couldn't buy their album anyways. So if these artists want their rightful cut, they need to insist that their albums are available world wide. If that was the case, I would have no problem supporting them by buying their music.
The wrong part of file sharing is ripping off albums that are clearly available to us in stores or on online sites such as itunes. By downloading these files, we are taking money away from many aspects of the industry. Even though I believe this type of file sharing is wrong, I do understand why people do it. Music has gotten extremely expensive in the last few years. An album used to cost between 10 and 12 dollars, but now its closer to 18 or 20. I believe that if the industry kept albums at a reasonable price, there would be less file sharing and more purchasing.
I believe that once a person has bought a CD they have the right to do whatever they want with it, as long as they gain no profits from it. A consumer should be allowed to make an extra copy of the CD, in case the original gets scratched or they want a copy for their car. They should be allowed to rip tracks and make mixed CD's. And why shouldn't they? They have spent the money on that CD and I don't think an artist should expect to profit twice on one CD per one consumer. I'm pretty sure that music artists don't go out and buy two copies of every CD they want. These actions are all ethical and I don't think any artist is going to lose profit from these examples.
The other side to this coin is illegally downloading music. Though I will admit to having done it on occasion, I do believe that this is wrong. My experiences with downloading music consist of music that is not available in America, had the tracks or CD's been available in America I would have gladly purchased them. In this particular instance, I don't think I have committed any great crime. It is not me who is causing these artists to lose profit, but rather record distributors. My downloading has taken nothing from them because I couldn't buy their album anyways. So if these artists want their rightful cut, they need to insist that their albums are available world wide. If that was the case, I would have no problem supporting them by buying their music.
The wrong part of file sharing is ripping off albums that are clearly available to us in stores or on online sites such as itunes. By downloading these files, we are taking money away from many aspects of the industry. Even though I believe this type of file sharing is wrong, I do understand why people do it. Music has gotten extremely expensive in the last few years. An album used to cost between 10 and 12 dollars, but now its closer to 18 or 20. I believe that if the industry kept albums at a reasonable price, there would be less file sharing and more purchasing.
posted by Natalie | 9:45 AM
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