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No Free Lunch for Downloaders: Dangers of Copyright Infringement
Anne JacobsDownloading movies or music may not be as free as you think.
Just ask Jesse Jordan. This 19-year-old college student has agreed to pay $12,000 for downloading songs and letting others download the songs from him.1 Paying the out-of-court settlement was cheaper than battling the case in court. It was also cheaper than fellow student Aaron Sherman’s settlement of $17,500.2
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is preparing to sue 871 individuals who allegedly downloaded music illegally.3 Pirated music could bring fines ranging from $750 to $150,000 — per song.4
Internet Service Providers (ISP) have been ordered to release customer names behind online identities if music companies suspect individuals of illegal downloading.5 One university student in Canada was surprised after he downloaded a movie to get an E-mail warning from his ISP.6 The ISP had a detailed record of what files he had sent and when. He could choose to stop or risk going to court.
At least he got a warning. Some ISPs are telling customers to watch out. The recording industry likely won’t be so generous.7
The point is, when you download a song or movie for free you’re stealing it. And the industries that own the copyrights are serious about finding offenders. Remember, you’re not as anonymous online as you may think.
1Monty Phan. “Record Industry: Stop the Music! 4 college students pay fines in a file-sharing suit.” Newsday. May 18, 2003, page A44.
2Jefferson Graham. “Students paying for playing.” USA Today. May 4, 2003, http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-05-04-students_x.htm.
3Jon Healey. “Record Labels Send Flurry of Subpoenas; The industry seeks identities of online song swappers from ISPs. Suits are expected next.” Los Angeles Times. July 19, 2003, part 3, page 1.
4Roberto Rocha. “Industry gets tough on Internet pirates. Web not haven longer of anonymity it was thought to be: Copyright holders cybersnooping to find out who's been stealing their music and games.” The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec). July 12, 2003, page A1.
5Jefferson Graham. “Consumers are next target in Net copyright fray.” USA Today. Apr. 28, 2003, page 1D.
6Roberto Rocha. “Industry gets tough on Internet pirates. Web not haven longer of anonymity it was thought to be: Copyright holders cybersnooping to find out who's been stealing their music and games.” The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec). July 12, 2003, page A1.
7Jon Healey. “Record Labels Send Flurry of Subpoenas; The industry seeks identities of online song swappers from ISPs. Suits are expected next.” Los Angeles Times. July 19, 2003, part 3, page 1.
Anne Jacobs is a freelance journalist for the NetSmartz Workshop® at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®.