Com125 Copyright Infringement

Copyright Infringement is a serious issue that affects a wide range of people. Two of the biggest problems include downloading music and movies illegally. The internet has made this problem worse over the years and it has become very hard to control. Programs such as limewire and kazza allow people to download music for free and burn it to CDs. Music downloading is an especially big problem on college campuses across the country. In 2006 U.S. college students downloaded 1.3 billion tracks illegally and only 500 million legally. Numbers like these are very troubling to the music industry, who are losing billions of dollars every year due to the massive amount of illegal downloading and file sharing. The Film industry has also suffered serious financial ramifications as a result of unauthorized copying of films. In 2005 the Motion Picture Association of America estimated that Copyright infringement had cost the film industry 18 billion dollars worldwide. With global costs of copyright infringement skyrocketing, it has become imperative that the US government find a solution to this increasingly large problem.

There are several technical and social structures that could be put into place to stop this problem. The most important thing we can do to ensure that this problem doesn't persist is to educate the infringers. Many people are unaware that sharing files of copyrighted work is illegal. The recording industry recently decided to increase its public awareness program and found that there is an increase in the amount of people who didn't know that it was illegal to share their music files with other users. When some people know that an activity is illegal, they are less likely to do it. Speakers should go into high schools and colleges to discuss copyright infringement. The key to putting an end to piracy is making sure the younger generation knows that it is illegal and will not be tolerated by society.

Another way we can prevent copyright infringement is by developing a technology system that includes features that make it difficult for people to steal and share files. This will make it harder and require more effort, which will lead to a decrease in piracy. One idea is to develop a website where users can anonymously report copyright infringement to the authorities. This will allow people to actively participate in the process of ending copyright infringement. For example if a user sees someone selling illegal DVDs, they can go to the site and type in the location of the crime. This will help the authorities get to heart of the problem and stop it before it continues further. People will feel comfortable going to the site because it will be easy to use and will be one hundred percent anonymous.

The final thing that can be done to help prevent the illegal theft and sharing of files is by establishing harsher, and more meaningful punishments. When someone is caught sharing files they need to be made an example of. There have already been several reported cases of users of online music sharing websites being sued by record labels for illegal theft of their product. The key to ending mainstream file sharing is letting the public know that if they choose to break the law it could end up costing them much more than it is worth. People will be more likely to purchase their music if they know that obtaining it illegally can and will cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The issue of copyright infringement is something that should not be taken lightly. In this current period of economic downturn it is critical that big businsses are not jeopardized by petty crime. Through education awareness, technology, and harsher punishments we can set in place, a system where copyright infringement goes from a multi billion dollar industry to nothing more than another minor problem in our society.


K.C. Jones InformationWeek June 7, 2007 http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199902097
Nathan Davis. Thanks for letting us pirate. 5 February 2007.