Is file sharing legal? or ethically correct?
I'm just kind of interested about everyones oppinion on this with all the file sharing programs out there. Limewire and such that aren't closed for copyright infringements. How does that work anyways?
Answers:
Legally, the courts and the legal have already determined that sharing files is illegal if you do not have the copyright holder's permission. From that stand point, it is no longer a matter of opinion.
As for the ethics, my answer that the practice is not ethical either. A music artist gets paid for CD sales, concert tickets sales, merchandise and other similar ways. If you download a song for free and don't pay for it, it is no different than taking money out of the artist's pocket. It doesn't really matter how much money they make...it is theft, both legally and morally.
It isn't a matter of opinion.
Sharing copyrighted material is illegal, period. Limewire, and all other p2p file sharing programs are not liable because they do not share the files, they have no files.. it's the users that have the files. It's the users that are liable.
It's a Peer 2 Peer network. This in itself is not illegal since many freeware programs can be shared via this medium.
It becomes "illegal" when you knowingly download music that you have not purchased.
Ethically, it's subjective and for you to decide.
It is neither legal nor etically correct!
i can see both sides of the issue. It sucks for record labels and what not but...nothing can really stop the internet anymore...it's like how tv killed the radio star...the internet killed the record lable...sucks, but inevitable. is it ethical for someone to own music anyways? And sue someone else for making music that sounds kind of the same even though there's only 12 musical notes and hundreds of years of western music
I don't think it's legal, but ethically it's not correct.
however, my scruples don't apply to sharing cds with ppl, which of course means import them to my computer and put them on my iPod, which is ethically wrong too, but I don't care lol.
I don't think it is legal or Ethical. At least in the US.
That being said there are alot of " Artist" out there that I like there " Art" but they have a tendancy to run their mouth about politics. So I refuse to give them any of my money.
I buy all my other CDs, DVDsbut if an " Artist" starts throwing himself in the political arena. I will still listen to their music but not buy it.
I know that is kindof hypocritical I guess, but I don't like supporting people who beleive that since they are on TV somehow they opinions are more important than everyone elses.
file sharing as theft of copyrighted material. not ethical. illegal
Of course there are some artists that put their work out there to be shared. No crime, ethical.
beating the artist out out of his money ,legal but not ethical
It depends ENTIRELY on the file being shared. It I create a file, I can both legally and ethically share it with whoever I wish. If the file is protected by someone else's copyright, it in both illegal and unethical to share the file without the owners consent.
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