| Everybody's doing it: downloading music and sharing | | | | identity.8. It is difficult to give a definitive decision on |
| files. People who share music files on the Internet | | | | the interpretation copyright law itself.9. The legal |
| argue that downloading is legal; today they can be | | | | tactics of the U.S. recording industry, which have |
| sued by the record industry. Can one be sued | | | | been suing individuals for sharing music on-line. The |
| without a great intrusion into personal lives of an | | | | entire music industry has changed dramatically. Since |
| individual?1. Enjoy music downloads from safe and | | | | file sharing began, there has been an increase in the |
| legal sources. Get the facts and not the scare tactics, | | | | popularity of DVDs and video games that have put |
| about online music services.2. The prosecution has to | | | | recording sales revenue in a slump.10. The Recording |
| able to prove, with adequate evidence, that the IP | | | | Industry Association of America (RIAA) desires the |
| address used for music downloads can be | | | | industry be compensated for losses due to copying, |
| linked to the person accused of illegal content | | | | but what decision would make it a flat-out victory. |
| sharing. There is a growing concern for "privacy". | | | | Can the recording industry prove that its bottom line |
| Legal experts worry about the "intrusiveness" of | | | | was really |
| Internet monitoring in order to prove a court case.3. | | | | affected by file-sharing. In the U.S. the RIAA can |
| These IP address--numbers--given to user by the | | | | sue for statutory damages of $750 per song on a |
| ISPs are dynamic and change rapidly. The starting | | | | file-sharer's hard |
| point is to establish | | | | drive. But look dramatic price cuts by "big box" |
| that there is enough bona fide evidence to | | | | retailers. Once selling music files for charging 99 cents |
| prosecute.4. It is difficult to a pin an IP address on | | | | a song was the |
| any one person. The IP numbers that some ISPs | | | | norm, now look at Yahoo who now offers $60 a |
| assign to their users can change | | | | year for all you can eat program. How can the RIAA |
| from one "session" to the next. The music industry | | | | or CRIA claim such high |
| must be able to link file-sharers to specific IP | | | | damages?Downloading music has been around only a |
| addresses at the times those addresses were used | | | | few years and is still evolving. A good road map is |
| for file sharing.5. Since their are personal freedoms | | | | needed for what we have to do in the future in the |
| involved, the courts want to make sure that the | | | | area of copyright on the Internet. It doesn't mean |
| individual is revealed to the public.6. These copyright | | | | copyright law does not protect "content". For sure, |
| allegation lawsuits are a minefield, because they | | | | whatever rulings are arrived at, will have long-term |
| involve the personal information of the defendant.7. | | | | effects for us all.Vincente Applegate |
| In Canada, under its privacy laws, people are | | | | Dedicated to offering news, articles, and instruction |
| protected through court confidentiality orders. In the | | | | on online music downloads. You have a definite choice |
| United States, the | | | | of music |
| Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) | | | | sources online. Visit for more information. |
| must get a order to reveal the downloader's | | | | |