MP3

Perhaps you have heard your child or your child's friends use unfamiliar terms and expressions—such as "MP3," "Ogg Vorbis," "Kazaa," and "CD ripping"—and wondered just what they were talking about. Perhaps you have also heard about lawsuits stemming from the distribution of MP3 files and wondered if your child is involved in anything illegal. This section on MP3 technology is intended to help you understand what an MP3 file is, how one works, and how such a little file could cause such a big controversy.

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Select a question below to learn more about MP3. Use the navigation to the left to learn about other technologies.

1. What is an MP3?
2. What do I need to listen to MP3s?
3. What is so great about MP3s?
4. Will my child get in trouble with the authorities if she or he downloads an illegal MP3 from the Internet?
5. Do MP3s serve any educational purpose?
6. How are MP3s made?
7. Is MP3 the only file-compression format?

What is an MP3?

An MP3 is computer file that contains digital audio information. MP3 is an acronym derived from an acronym. It is short for "MPEG Audio-Layer 3"; "MPEG" is an acronym that stands for "Motion Picture Experts Group" (the name of the organization that invented the format). An MP3 file might contain a song or a recording of a teacher's lecture. For a detailed description of MP3 technology, visit: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/mp3.htm.

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