MP3 downloading essays

MP3 downloading essays (According to BBC news) In December of 1999, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) sued Napster, one of the premier and most successful file sharing programs. Five months later, American rock band Metallica also sued Napster, including some of its users who were Metallica fans. Since then, Napster had been shut down and has faced countless lawsuits. What caused these problems? The answer is simple- the problem was, because of Napster, everyone had access to download mp3 files.. for free. Downloading mp3 files through share programs has become a serious issue. It is harming the music industry and is one of the most significant causes of the decline of record sales. It could also be regarded as theft, as those who use these programs do not pay for the music. The results of the survey from this class indicate that seven of you actually pay for mp3 files using programs such as itunes. However, research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that over 60 million Americans above the age of twelve have downloaded music through share programs, and that the number of downloaders in the U.S. has doubled since 2000, the year after Napster was launched. Also, according to the RIAA, the number of CDs shipped in the U.S. fell 15%- from 940 million to 800 million between 2000 and 2002. The record industry has claimed that this decline is due to free downloading. Another reason free downloading is bad is that it puts musicians out of business, especially the independent artists. Although some may argue that downloading could be a method of promoting new artists, it could also be used against them as a method of emptying their pockets. Believe it or not, according to CNN.com, Dana Woodaman, an independent musician and a victim of free downloading, said, Ive sold a total of one CD online, and I think that's pretty typical. In addition, Tim Gallagher, former member of an underground band ca...