Almost everyone these days is downloading music from the Internet for their MP3’s, mobile phones, and other handheld devices. You can use a website that is free or one which you pay for music and file share or burn them to CD. There is quite a controversy going on about legal and illegal music downloads. The issues are confusing, but the penalties are severe. If you download, you should be aware of the legal issues that can affect you when you do.
The most important issue is copyright infringement. Artists copyright their music before it is released to the consumer market. With any copyrighted material, it’s illegal to take something lawfully protected for your own purposes, unless the copyright holder allows it. In the case of downloading music, the holder is allowing the recording to be sold online for your own listening pleasure. This said, you may not turn around and burn additional copies of the same recording for sharing with others or selling for profit.
The music industry claims that they are taking a severe loss in revenue because of illegal download and distribution of copyrighted recordings. Both record companies and artists are suing for music piracy, and many people have found themselves in court as a result.
Do not think for one minute that being accused of copyright infringement is a joke. First time offenders, if convicted, can be sentenced to three years in prison and fined up to $250,000. If you repeat the offense after having been convicted once, you could be making a trip to jail that will last for six years. At the same time, a civil suit can be filed against you. If you lose the case, it will cost you at least another $150,000. Neither the court system nor the music industry is joking about this matter.
There is nothing wrong with downloading music, as long as you pay for it or get it legitimately from a free download website. Whatever you do, do not burn CD copies and sell them or distribute recordings over a peer to peer network by file sharing. The consequences of doing so just aren’t worth it.