Webupon

Is there a difference between downloading music off the Internet and shoplifting a CD from the local music store?  From what web sites are people downloading?  What are the ethical issues of downloading music?  Are certain websites actually encouraging illegal behavior?  Are there Internet guides to copyrighting?

According to the Tampa Tribune, 26% of young people between the ages of nine and fourteen are downloading music illegally  by tapping into web sites like iTunes and Limewire.  The writer believes such companies are encouraging children to engage in illegal behavior.  An organization called Wired Safety suggests the following guidelines to parents and children:

1. Make the pirating issue real to children.
2. Stay away from free downloading sites.
3. Discuss the lack of product quality on “P2P” services.
4. Music monitoring involves a money angle.

Here is another point of view from an Internet ethics forum.  The difference between the compact disc in the music store and the same music on the web is as follows.  The CD on the shelf has amassed significant costs such as manufacturing, packaging and labelling.  On the other hand, the music on the web has much less invested in it beyond the initial production. 

The argument goes on that albums are private goods while files are public goods.  Downloading is given additional legitimacy by being easy to do.  The old days where transactions were done in person are gone.  Music artists only get a small fraction of the label’s and consumer’s dollars.  The solution may be a new consumer ethics in which the listener is made aware of the role they play.

Millions of people download music from the web.  Many people believe that music downloading is beneficial to listeners, recording companies and artists.  Others believe that this activity is no different from stealing.  I think that downloading someone else’s work is not just stealing but morally wrong as well.