laarni080

The legality of downloading MP3 files is not clear-cut. There have been lawsuits filed against the providers of copyrighted content, but not much has been done about people who just download and play the songs. It usually would be considered illegal if you downloaded and kept a copy of someone else's music that had been copyrighted. The laws stated about copyrighted content, have sections about acceptable use however, and a fair argument could be put forward about the use of MP3 files being legal.

There are some legal statements on MP3 sites stating that it is legal and okay to download music and keep it for 24 hours only, for perhaps educational purposes or just to hear what a song is like.

When on an internet site, sometimes it can be hard to tell whether the music on offer is legal, and has been submitted by the artists themselves, or whether music has been copied from a copyrighted CD and published. The easiest way to tell is to see if you recognize any popular artists such as Blink 182 or the Backstreet Boys. These types of bands usually have recording contracts and their music IS copyrighted.

Different countries do have different laws relating to copyright, and so hosting music on a server in another country may be legal. As the internet is worldwide, it would be impossible to enforce strict rules relating to copyright unless every country agreed.

The owners of the music get paid from live concerts they perform and the sales of their music (both singles and albums). Currently artists get very little money from sales of their music (about $2) as the recording company takes most of the profits. MP3 files have provided two benefits here: they provide additional exposure that growing artists often need, and they provide a different way for artists to distribute their music, generating higher revenues without giving most of it away to recording companies. They can charge a lower amount for their music, and make a larger profit on it - benefiting consumers also.

The MP3 format is essentially doing more good than it is harm, despite its bad reputation in the media. The idea of online distribution is currently being explored and although the exact MP3 format may not be used in the future, the basic concept and idea will be.

arppt01

Thanks for starting a discussion on a very sensitive issue. I know many like me loves MP3 music. We now have options in the form of MP3, so I think there is a need to find a solution of this issue.

tater03

I am sure this will become a problem here in the near future. I am surprised that I haven't really seen anything on it yet. Hopefully they can come up with something that everyone can agree on.

Prohome Admin

When we were kids, we found which artists we liked - and which albums to buy - by swapping and home taping music. It never killed sales - it was a form of advertising.

I can see why the music companies are so worried about the wholescale swapping of music online - but I think their approach is inherently wrong.

If I were a music company, what I would actually do is do a deal with the makers of music compression formats - mp3, wma, ogg, etc - to push to reduce the sound quality of sound via the compression systems. Not a huge amount - just enough to make the original product better quality enough to buy.

2c.

tater03

It's funny that this topic has come up because just this morning on the news they were saying I believe it was Ohio State was the number one school for downloading music and that they were going to try to put a stop to it. I cannot remember if they said the artists were or the music companies.

arppt01

I totally agree with the views of Prohome Admin. Though you have correctly pointed out a solution but Music companies probably are not going to do that. They are just trying to make money from a market where people are going for MP3 music.

philoSCIFI

Oooh, thats a nice idea for a possible solution.

I think thats a huge factor and a good point. But how would every country represented on the world wide web agree unanimously? *thinks of the UN and general world problems* :\

mari10

I think artists today should be more vocal and open about their stand on this issue. That way, people can also be clarified.