Music Piracy: the Controversy

One of the bigger controversies, both in the music world as well as in the general public, is the issue of downloading music. Many discussions, political and ethical, have been had about what is legal or right and what is not.  

An article in PC magazine, titled "More Squabbles over Digital Music; the Controversy Over Digital Music Downloads", covered more on this issue. Writer Michael J. Miller discussed the cases of a few students who " were sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for administering services that let students search the campus network for files and for hosting MP3s on their PCs. The RIAA sought $150,000 per file that could have been downloaded, and settled for $12,000 to $17,000 from each student" 

Many people believing downloading music without paying is theft (including the author of this article). However, Miller points out that an easier and cheaper way of downloading music needs to be developed so there is no excuse for stealing music.  

This article was written in 2003, but that was only a begging of what would continue on the controversy. 2003 was around the time iTunes first opened its music store with .99 cent songs. Easy and relatively cheap, like Miller suggested. This wasn't enough to stop music downloading, however -- an article in the New York Times in 2010 (titled Music Industry counts the cost of Piracy) suggested 95% of all music was illegally downloaded.  

Most people think of downloading illegal music as a minor offense, but when everybody is downloading illegally, it adds up. So record companies are at a loss at what to do, so cases arise like the students sued for large sums of money in 2003. Even recently, May 2012, CBS news reported a man was sued for about $700,000 for illegally downloaded music -- which was mostly pirated in his high school years. (The article can be read here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505270_162-57438933/supreme-court-silent-on-illegal-music-downloads/). 

The targeted individuals for music piracy by record companies are meant to send a message to others that music piracy is wrong. It seems most people agree that piracy is not ideal, but these lawsuits don't gain many supporters.

Works Cited: 

Brown, Terrell.  "Supreme Court silent on illegal music downloads". cbsnews.com CBS. 22, May 2012. Web. 18 October, 2012.

Miller, Michael J. "More Squabbles Over Digital Music ; the Controversy Over Digital Music Downloads  

has Reached Fever Pitch, Indicating that some Big Changes are Imminent." PC Magazine Jun 17 2003: 7-. ABI/INFORM Complete; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 18 Oct. 2012 .  \

pfanner, Eric. "Music Industry Counts the Cost of Piracy" nytimes.com New York Times.