Is P2P File Sharing Wrong?

[girlieman]

With all that there is on the internet music, movie, picture etc wise is it wrong to share files with other users, especially copyrighted ones?

 

[""]

My choice is not up there.
I would choose, I'm not sure. Of course the ones you pay for are fine, but as far as the ones you can get for free, I'm not sure if it's wrong or not. It didn't used to be wrong. I think it's something that should be voted on. I don't like the idea of a judge having the power to make the decision.

 

[meebs]

Yes it is. How would you like it for example, if you were a music artist and worked hard to make a record, and it didnt get as much money cos somebody downloaded it from a freind instead. Its fine if you pay for it, like in the shops.

I think its better cos you dont waste space by having a CD if you dont want to and you can pay for individual songs from an album. Same with the other things you mentioned.

If the artist or whoever has released as a special for free, or given permission, however, thats fine.

 

[Corran]

The thing is that not every one that downloads music/movie's/game's would have bought it if they could not have downloaded it, infact its no where near that. And there for if 100 000 ppl download an album the amount of money the label looses is no where near 100 000 as the ppl that will pay for albums do and the ones that´dont want to will either downlaod or not listen to it. So basicly it would be stealing but it wouldnt cost the lable/artist almost aything

 

[Arikereba]

I don't feel that the question covers examples of legal file sharing: some music is released under Creative Commons licensing, for example, with the intent that people will share it.

It is right that artists get paid for their work. But you can't address one aspect, file sharing, without addressing imbalances and inequities within record companies that also prevent artists from making a fair profit from their work, or even leave musicians in debt to their record companies. If I buy a CD, the musician might see ten cents of that money. And while it does add up--and while the producers, sound engineers, studio musicians, cover designers, and so forth need to see their fair share of money too--I don't honestly feel that a limited amount of file sharing hurts musicians.

I don't listen to the radio. Why? There's barely anything good on. Without file sharing, I wouldn't know about Joanna Newsom, the Arcade Fire, Bruce Cockburn, and a dozen others, and I wouldn't be able to put money in their pockets, so you can't overlook the possible benefits of file sharing as well.

 

[butterfoot]

I voted no. In the original intention of P2P software was to share personal files. It was not meant to transfer copyrighted material. That part of it is wrong but transfering noncopyrighted Material would be ok. The music companies and Movie companies are working hard to protect their investments as they should.


-cw

 

[Natman]

It is wrong when you share copyrighted materials without permission from the authors or producers.

I am ashamed of Christians that see nothing wrong in this, even when they are sharing Christian music... ESPECIALLY when they are sharing Christian music (not that it should matter).

Basically they are stealing and it is wrong, regardless of how easy it is to do, or how many other people are doing it.

I have a son who dreams of being a part of a successful band. I don't think he relishes the thought of people freely distributing what he has worked weeks and months on.

Son-cerely,
Nathan Powers

 

[Cerberus~]

After all the ****** cds I bought for 15, 20$ a peice, I say stick it to em.

 

[levi501]

is recording a movie with your vcr and sharing the tape with friends wrong?

 

[peepnklown]

If Jesus could take a man’s lunch and share it with thousands then I do not see a problem with people sharing data.

 

[meebs]

If Jesus could take a man’s lunch and share it with thousands then I do not see a problem with people sharing data.

lol, question: did he ask in the first place?

 

[doaftheloaf]

If Jesus could take a man’s lunch and share it with thousands then I do not see a problem with people sharing data.

Not the same thing. The man in question was not deprived of any of his own food. Jesus didn't steal his fish and loaves.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

If the work is not copyrighted, there is no problem. If you can't get the work in other ways, it is probably fine. If you use it to evaluate artists and albums and continue to purchase music, I don't see a problem. A good portion of my CD collection is by artists that I wouldn't have taken the risk of buying their CDs if I hadn't been able to check out their songs beforehand.

 

[tgg]

I'm almost embarrassed to confess to having downloaded music and videos from P2P programs such as KaZaa and Morpheus.

I regret having done it because both the files contain so many bugs and viruses that can f&*( up your computer no end. So yes, I do believe it is wrong.


tgg

 

[girlieman]

I like new wave music. Half the stuff I listen to I cant get at the stores if I wanted it. It is out of print, very rare, or extremely expensive. P2P allows me access to music that if available in greater quantities, I would buy.

 

[In A Perfect World]

It depends! On a legal scale, sharing copyrighted material is illegal and wrong within the context of our laws. However, MOST of the stuff I see on P2P networks *ISN'T* copyrighted materials (it's people who accidentally share their family pictures or contents of their hard drive -ouch). No doubt in my mind though that copyrighted materials are among the most downloaded of available files.

There is plenty of freeware out there and independent music too.

Copyrighted materials being shared - wrong under law
Everything else - not wrong under law

 

[peepnklown]

I am going to summarize this information I found on this website that I totally concur with: You cannot assure freedom of speech and implement copyright law. The problem with copyright is that the implementation of it involves monitoring of communications, and you cannot be assured free speech if someone is monitoring everything you say thus alternatives to copyright must be fashioned.

http://freenet.sourceforge.net/

The Record and Movie industry are merely dinosaurs that will not evolve into the 21the century.

 

[""]

If Jesus could take a man’s lunch and share it with thousands then I do not see a problem with people sharing data.

That has got to be the funniest thing I have ever ... and I mean EVER read on here. No no, not just on this forum, but on the web. You honestly think Jesus just walked up and took some guys lunch and then shared it with everyone? Oh my goodness I have not laughed so hard in such a long time. Thank you, even if you didn't mean to be funny.

I am going to summarize this information I found on this website that I totally concur with: You cannot assure freedom of speech and implement copyright law. The problem with copyright is that the implementation of it involves monitoring of communications, and you cannot be assured free speech if someone is monitoring everything you say thus alternatives to copyright must be fashioned.

Now this one I agree am close to agreeing with.

 

[peepnklown]

Adiya of course the Jesus comment was a joke, I thought the “laughing face” would label it as such.

 

[""]

If Jesus could take a man’s lunch and share it with thousands then I do not see a problem with people sharing data.

That's an amen face silly. So I don't believe you.