Last Questions and Comments

My friend Emma asked me whether or not it is illegal to buy a CD from a friend.  After a few days of research, Emma, I was finally able to find an answer for you.  If the person who is selling the CD still has any of the files on their computer, music device (MP3, iPod, etc.), or an illegal copy of the CD, then it is illegal for them to sell it.  If the person gets rid of all of the files before selling the original copy, then it is legal (about.com).

In reality, I know that people aren't going to stop downloading music right away.  I read the facts multiple times before I finally pulled myself away from the addicting act of piracy.  My goal though is to get people thinking about the consequences of illegally downloading music.  I want to raise awareness on this topic by giving facts, which I feel that I have provided a fair amount of information. If anyone has anymore questions or comments for me, then feel free to post them on here, and I will do my best to answer them.

My friends and classmates, I leave you with this: are you willing to take the risks of hefty fines and computer viruses, or are you ready to step up and start following the law?  What do you guys think it is going to take to get people to stop pirating music?  Finally, are you willing to spread the anti-piracy word to make the world a better place?

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Taking a Walk in the Other Viewpoint's Shoes

Photo Credit: Niklas Rämö

In 2002, USA Weekend Magazine took a poll of over 60,000 US teenagers regarding music piracy.  The results that came back weren't that much of a surprise to me.  Of those interviewed, 19% downloaded music frequently, 26% pirated on occasion, and 55% either never or rarely download music illegally.  The one result that I did find interesting though is that 54% of the teenagers that were interviewed didn't see anything wrong with downloading music from the internet.  Of those who said they didn't see anything wrong, 15% admitted that they knew they were cheating the artist, but didn't really care that they were because they wanted music without having to pay for it. connectwithkids.com

Although I'm very much so opposed to piracy of music, I am going to try to understand the viewpoint of those who see no wrong in it.

Although large name bands are very much so opposed to their music being pirated, some smaller indie bands owe all of their success to piracy and the internet.  They don't make much music off of their CDs, but due to people pirating their music, they're able to get concert gigs.  The hope for these bands is that one day when they become more successful in the future, people will stop stealing their music and buy CDs in support of them.  The belief is that "quality musicians will rise to the top and continue to produce music" regardless of whether or not they are being paid for it. mappingtheweb.com

Convenience is another reason why people download music so often these days.  It is a lot more convenient for people to turn on their computer than it is for them to drive to a music store in order to get the latest top hits.  On top of just convenience of how to get the music, people also find convenience in only downloading the songs that they want, rather than having to buy a full album for one or two songs.  They're saving both gas money and money that would have been spent on CDs this way.

A final popular belief is that recording artists are making such a large amount of money that a few song downloads won't hurt their paycheck too much.  If the artist's music is selling so well, then their concert tickets will sell well enough to cover the differences.

In conclusion, although I think that pirating music is illegal (so does the copyright law), I do take into consideration their viewpoints.  Knowing both sides gives me more of a reason to fight for what I believe, so why would I not view both sides?

What About Songwriters?

My main focus with this video is the first 45 seconds.  I have been focusing mainly on impacts of piracy on the general public, the music industry and the song artists, but I had never taken songwriters into concern.  If songwriters are only being paid based off of how well their songs are doing, if the songs are being illegally downloaded, their paychecks are being cut short.

If song artists aren't getting paid, then they are going to stop writing songs.  This would have a HUGE impact on the music industry as we know it.  Artists, such as Taylor Swift or Lady GaGa, who write their own music (aka singer-songwriters) wouldn't be greatly affected, but other artists, such as Miley Cyrus or Rihanna, who don't write their own music would be out of luck if songwriters weren't getting paid for their music.

Most artists don't write their own music.  If you tend to like the artists who do write their own music, then power to you, but for those of us who listen to music that is written by songwriters, think of how stressful their lives must be due to music piracy.  Their jobs are on the line because we, as fans of their music, are too self-centered to pay for the beautiful music that they write.

All I'm asking is for you to really think about all of the lives you are affecting by downloading music.  Piracy has become a "way of life" to some, but making music is a "way of life" to others.  Don't cut those people short, if you truly admire their music, pay for it.  In my opinion, illegally downloading music is like a slap to the face to the song artist, songwriter, recording label, and the music industry as a whole.  Think about this and take it to heart.

Dear Antonio

This blog is going to be in response to my friend Antonio's comment on my post titled "Random Thoughts," so if you would first like to read over the post and his comment, you would probably better understand what is being discussed.

Antonio,
I find it very interesting how you mention that getting rid of piracy is about as hard as getting rid of racism.  I would have never thought of it this way without you mentioning it, but the more I think about it, the more true I find this statement to be.  Although both would be considered "morally wrong," it doesn't stop people from saying racist remarks or downloading music illegally.  It is sad to see what our world has come to, knowing that what we are doing is wrong, but not really caring.  We are so focused on what we want and how we feel to realize that what we are doing is wrong.

You mention that we shouldn't have to pay for music "over and over again to get that typical 3 minutes of enjoyment."  I however feel the exact opposite of you on this one.  Although I do understand that it's an inconvenience to always have to buy music, imagine how you would feel if you were a song artist.  How would you feel if you weren't getting paid for your music anymore because arrogant teenagers figured out that they could get it for free?

Honestly, if I was a song artist, I wouldn't be happy, and I don't think you would be either.  I may be wrong, but I bet it really frustrates Katy Perry every time her sales go down because her songs are being stolen online.  Like I said though, this all goes back to the self-centered thought of us only thinking of ourselves and not ever imagining what it would be like to be the song artist who we are stealing music from.

My favorite part of your post though is that "music should be free" because it is a way of life for some people. Music is one of my ways of relaxing, so I can very much so relate to this part of your comment.  However to counteract your thought, music is free.  Maybe it isn't free for us to put onto our iPods, but we have access to free music at our fingertips thanks to the radio (including online radios such as Pandora) and YouTube.

Credit for picture: stuntmanbrandon

Random Thoughts

Today I was randomly thinking about why people download music illegally so often.  I kept asking myself questions such as: what do people think when they pirate music? Do they even realize that what they are doing is wrong?  What sources are people finding to download music?  Why don't people just pay for the music they want?

As I sat down and really thought these things through, I realized that when I used to pirate music (key word there being used to, I have realized the effects and consequences and simply buy my music now, which would also be why my iTunes collection may be somewhat "outdated" in today's society), I thought nothing of it.  I never realized how many people it was harming, and I never took the time to do any research because it was "pointless" and it was only ten cents that I was taking away from the artist each time I pirated a song.  So I began to realize that it's not that people simply don't think about what they are doing, they just don't see it as a major problem.  To put it in other words while answering my second question: no, people don't really see what they are doing as wrong.

By The Pirate Bay [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

This brings me to my third question: what sources are people using?  As people began to realize how many viruses they were getting from Limewire, they began to switch to other sources.  A couple common sources these days (from talking to friends) are Frostwire and The Pirate Bay.  A couple sources that people may not realize as being "illegal" would be Youtube - MP3 converters, borrowing CDs from friends, or putting a friend's music on a flash drive then transferring it to their own computer.  The only LEGAL ways to get music are to either A. Buy the CD or B. PURCHASING the songs off the internet.

One final thing I realized is that a lot of people don't pay for music, not because they cant (however that sometimes is the case), but simply because they have it accessible to them for free, so why would they buy it in the first place?  My advice is to start paying for music because it is the right thing to do.  Not only that, but you don't want the RIAA showing up at your doorstep to bust you for pirating music, do you?  I don't think so, therefore, pay for the music before you download it.

Please post any comments that you may have.  I'd love to hear other people's opinions on this topic, as well as hearing any questions that you may have so I can research them for a later blog post. Have a great week!

Effects of Piracy

Music industries are losing roughly 12.5 billion dollars annually due to online piracy, which in the long run equates to 71,060 job losses (www.ipi.org).  To put into perspective how many songs are pirated, at ten cents per song, this equates to 125 billion songs being illegally downloaded annually.  This number is ten times greater than the world's population.

Downloading music illegally isn't the only form of piracy.  Another form could consist of borrowing a friend's CD so you don't have to buy the music yourself.  Many people wonder why this is still considered piracy even though their friend had paid for the CD.  The answer to that question is simple: if you don't personally buy the music, you are pirating it.

The action of piracy doesn't only effect the music industry and song artists, but it can affect you personally.  When you download things illegally, you risk the chance of unwanted viruses, or even worse, having to deal with the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).

 The RIAA can sue up to $150,000 per illegally downloaded song.  I often times hear people saying things such as, "Oh, it won't ever happen to me."  I would almost guarantee that the 2,000 people who had been sued by the RIAA (as of March 2004) had said or thought that same thing on multiple occasions (fightpiracy.org).

Many people don't know the effect that downloading music has, but I'm hoping that once people read this, they will stop to think about the consequences of their actions.  If this information has touched you in any way, or if it has made you stop and really think about pirating music, pass the information along to your friends.  Help me start a chain reaction to teach people the harms of piracy.

Pirating Music is ILLEGAL!

Downloading music without paying for it is illegal.  This action is also known as "pirating" music.  If a person walked into a CD store, they wouldn't walk out without paying for the CD they wanted to own, they would pay for it.  This example makes me wonder why it is so easy for people to steal music online when it isn't as easy to get caught.  Integrity is key, pay for your music even when others aren't watching you.