Piracy

Piracy has traditionally been defined as the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of copyrighted material for profit. Seizing on this definition, some Internet-based "file sharers" (as they like to call themselves) try to justify their activities by claiming that they have no profit motive—they distribute files freely to anyone who wants them—and therefore cannot be called "pirates." Unfortunately for the file sharers, this justification has no legal validity. The free exchange of copyrighted materials is piracy inasmuch as it undermines the ability of copyright holders (and their representatives) to control the sale and distribution of goods to which they—and only they—own the rights.

Probably the best known and most widely practiced form of piracy is the distribution of copyright protected music files (usually in the .MP3 format) via popular file sharing programs such as Kazaa, Grokster, and Gnutella. As bandwidth increases, the "sharing" of feature films and television shows on the Internet is likely to increase as well. Although file sharing is quite common, that does not mean it is okay. Once again, the distribution of material that does not belong to you is illegal and it can be prosecuted.

To date, the recording industry has not pursued legal action against people who download MP3s from the Internet. The industry is going after distributors, not consumers. If you do insist on using file sharing programs to download music and other media, make sure that you have turned off the software's option to "share" your media collection with the rest of the world. With fines potentially reaching into hundreds of thousands of dollars, a lawsuit from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) could spell your financial ruin. Finally, since you could be held liable for your child's illegal file sharing, it would be a very good idea to find out if any copyright protected music is being shared from your home computer.

Visit the following Web sites to learn more about Internet piracy:

Cybercrime.gov
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/
The U.S. Department of Justice offers information about government efforts to stop criminal activities on the Internet. This site includes sections on intellectual property rights and cyberethics for kids.

The Recording Industry Association of America
http://www.riaa.com/
Learn about the recording industry's official position on file sharing.

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