Shared Files example essay topic

In an age where popular culture and technology are both rapidly expanding and becoming entrenched in the daily lives of Americans, it was no wonder that their paths would eventually cross. One aspect of pop-culture especially affected by the growth of internet usage is the music industry. Modern technology has made wide-scale trading of music possible in the form of MP 3 files available over the internet for free, all at the click of a mouse. File sharing has been an issue many teens have felt strongly about, particularly since the time blank, recordable CDs have become widely available and inexpensive. The Recording Industry Association of America, however, has recently begun questioning these practices. The issue that arises here is should music be accessible for free trade over the internet.

It is fair to say that not everything on the internet is good for you, and definitely not everything on the internet is legal. The legality of file sharing was not a topic of debate when Napster, a downloadable program that allowed its users to trade songs for free using the internet, first came about in May of 1999. Soon after, many big name bands, such as Metallica, have claimed that Napster was stealing their music, and that such sites should be outlawed. A bombardment of lawsuits by the RIAA left Napster bankrupt and extinct, but have not yet touched the dozens of copycat programs that have emerged in its absence. There has also been an increase in the number of sites that provide similar services for a fee.

The opinions surrounding file sharing's legality range from those who call it theft, to others who claim it is just as ethical as listening to the radio. Many Americans feel that file sharing is perfectly legal, perhaps largely due its widespread availability. There is the mentality that, "if everyone is doing it and not getting in trouble, then it must be ok". Numerous music fans don't think of themselves as shoplifters, and, actually feel that file sharing helps the music industry (Segal, 3).

Given the opportunity to sample new artists and preview albums before buying them can make consumers feel more confident in their purchases, and their trips to the record shop more frequent. By downloading the songs first, several users contend that they become more hooked on artists that way than with the conventional radio (Segal, 3). At the other end of the spectrum are the record industry and a myriad of artists who are in contention that musicians and labels should receive royalties for these shared files. Radio stations pay artists royalties when their songs are played on the air, and they feel that via the internet should be no different. A report released earlier this year shows that CD sales which had previously been on the increase, had dropped by ten percent this year. This has been blamed largely on the 41 percent of file sharers who say that their increase in music downloading has caused them to spend less money on music.

Another alarming figure shows an increase in seizures of counterfeit material by the RIAA. The group said pirate CD seizures are up 170 percent this year (Reuters, 1). A more moderate group does not see anything wrong with the act of file sharing, as long as downloaders are willing to pay, and artists are receiving royalties. Most internet users prefer the convenience and selection of getting music online (Alexander, 2). These "for charge" sites feel that they are offering superior services, such as customizable radio stations, that make up for the costs of their services. Advocates of these sites condone online music listening practices, but prohibit the downloading of MP 3's or burning of CDs (Alexander, 3).

As an avid music fan, and frequent file sharer, I am intensely compelled by this issue. When I first got word of Napster, it sounded like the answer to all my problems. I could download as many albums I wanted without worrying about the outrageous cost of CD prices. When Napster became center of the national spotlight, I was forced to assess the rights and wrongs of many American's file sharing practices.

My growing awareness has caused me to worry more and more about the growing number of file sharers, because the more money record companies lose, the fewer new artists they can sign, and the less they can afford for their artists to go on tour. It is amazing to me that over 2 million people are logged onto these sites at any given time, and that normal people like me are downloading these songs illegally. I feel that this issue is similar to bootlegging in the time of prohibition. I will deeper reveal several other problems with this issue and why it should be stopped before it gets to that point.