Downloading music illegally is done using torrent programs and peer-to-peer programs such as LimeWire and Bit torrent. Music down-loaders have a common misconception that they are not legally liable if they are just downloading or streaming the music, not distributing it but according to the RIAA, a user who downloads music he hasn't purchased is breaking the law, even if the user never distributes the music to anyone else. Illegal music downloading can bring jail time and hefty fines. Since record companies and artists own the copyrights, they have the right to sue individuals who illegally download their music. Record companies can sue for as much as £150,000 per song.
So what are the effects of illegal downloading? The income of everyone involved in making the recording. When an album is put together, in addition to the artists and songwriters, sound engineers, graphic designers, office staff and maintenance people all depend on record sales for their jobs. When an album is downloaded, the musicians do not get their entitled royalties and the record company is left with less money to invest in the future music.http://smallbusiness.chron.com/illegally-downloading-music-impact-music-industry-27748.html
Aside from facing jail and fines what other threats from illegal downloading do I have to worry about? People who download music illegally are favourite targets for hackers. Illegal music downloads can contain hidden computer viruses and Trojan horses.
However, not all music artists see illegal music downloading as an offence worth prosecuting. Popular opinion on illegal downloading is divided. In 2000, Napster advocated for free music downloads by saying it was not wrong if the down-loaders made no profit from the music--an argument that failed. Meanwhile, musicians such as Kid Rock argue that downloading music without paying for it is theft and should be penalized. But really how much money does Kid Rock actually need?
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Is there a way for me to get free music at all legally? Yes, you can legally download royalty-free and public domain music, which is music that the creator releases without setting any copyright requirements. Artist websites offer music that you can legally download. Some musicians simply share downloadable music on their website. There are many sites were you can download free music legally here are a few of the sites:
Does the copyright on music ever run out? Music copyright does expire, Seventy years after the author’s demise; anyone is free to own the musical fruits of their labours. So stick to top pop hits by musicians who’ve been dead for more than 70 years, and you’ll be untouchable. Um, except in certain cases where that rule doesn’t actually apply.
Stop downloading! Especially if Romney gets elected, Obama is the only candidate that opposes SOPA. SOPA is America’s Stop Online Piracy Act. It says that anyone caught streaming copyrighted content, including music; ten or more times in the space of six months should face up to five years in jail. So that’s nice. The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is its international equivalent and could soon be a cornerstone of EU law. It aims to create universal laws for file sharing online and, again, the notion of jailing people for listening illegally is being bandied about. Both proposals could also lead to websites of any kind – not just file-sharing sites specifically – being shut down just on suspicion of torrenting-based naughtiness, which has clear implications for online freedom of speech.
http://gizmodo.com/5877000/what-is-sopa
