Because of our rapid maturing technology, the Internet is allowing society to get music free of charge. This almost kills each industry. Though this may be a new exciting way for consumers to acquire music, the profits that the music industries once got are now plummeting more and more each day that a new music lover discovers how fast, easy, and FREE this high quality music is being contributed for. ("Music and the Internet" 321).
The way that the music companies should, are forced to, and are trying to grasp this new increasing problem is to charge against the free Internet music companies. "It should be no more legal to take digital copies of music without authorization then it is to shoplift CDs" (325). "[It] should be considered theft." (325). And many have done just that; the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently filed a lawsuit against the well known internet based company, Napster, who offers internet users the option to trade MP3s. .
The case states " [T]he company is enabling millions of computer users to obtain unauthorized copies of songs, thereby disrupting music sales and encouraging widespread copyright violations." (323). Everyone that goes through Napster to trade their music is making an illegal move, they have absolutely no right to be copying this music. And because Napster makes it all possible the blame has been put on it. Soon following this case there have been other lawsuits filed against Napster. Napster, however, is not the only way that people can obtain music through the Internet. So far Napster and many others have stayed afloat through this all. (325).
Artists get their profit from how much the music industries do. When an artists materials are sold, played, or advertised the music industries then now profit, and the laws that protect this now seem slipping through the industry's hands. When the music is obtained through the Internet from home PCs the copyright laws don't exist.
