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the effects and consequences and simply buy my music now, which would also be why my iTunes collection may be somewhat "outdated" in today's society), I thought nothing of it.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!
I really found your topic of choice very interesting seeing as how it is hardly addressed anymore. I think you made a very interesting point when you said that people don't even realize they are pirating music. This got me thinking and I've realized that getting rid of music piracy is as equally hard as getting rid of racism. Some people do it without even thinking twice about it. This is a topic that strikes home with me, seeing as how I pirate music. It sounds so weird to say it, but it's true. I pirate music because of the simplicity and lack of funds it requires. However, in the defense of me and who knows how many others, music SHOULD be free. We shouldn't have to pay 10 cents over and over again to get that typical 3 minutes of enjoyment. I am not trying to advocate the theft of music, but there should be some point when it is okay to start downloading music, because music is, for some, a way of life and they should not have to have the worry of paying for music. -Antonio
ReplyDeleteComment from Emma: "How are people able to track down people who pirate music off of the internet? Also, would it be considered pirating music if you buy the CD from the friend, because the money is not going to the record industry?"
ReplyDeleteAntonio: I responded to you by creating a blog post, so feel free to give me your input there.
ReplyDeleteEmma: I'm not sure whether or not buying a CD from a friend is illegal, I'll see whether or not I can find any research on the topic. They can track down people who pirate music through computer IP addresses; it's a complicated process, but it can be done.
Finally can post, so sorry for questions that have been posed twice.
ReplyDeleteIs this an issue that occurs everywhere, or is it more common in certain areas?
Why are viruses so common with pirated music? It seems rather strange, but computer viruses seem strange to begin with.