why is illegal downloading so bad?

Question

what is the increase of illegal music downloads

Answer 1

You answered your own question... it's bad b/c it's ILLEGAL! :)
Ok... think about this: If someone went to a music store, stuck a CD in her purse and walked out without paying for it... would THAT be so bad? It's the same thing... except illegal downloading is stealing in the privacy of your own home.

Answer 2

Suppose you are a sound board operator and make nowhere near what the stars make. And suppose you were counting on some of the royalties of a song to help pay your salary. Now, suppose people pirated all of the work you did. There would be no money for your pay. You would not do that any more and before long neither would anyone else therefore no music to download or even hear first hand.

Now suppose you own something such as a right to copy something and someone else just ups and makes thousands of copies, or thousands of people make one copy each. The reason you have a copy right is so you can sell YOUR work for money as that is how you earn a living. Someone recording your work without your permission is the same thing as if someone stole your pay check. Taking your money without your permission.

As for the increase. You might not be hurt much if only one person stole a song but when thousands steal it you've got a problem. An increase in illegal downloads means less and less money for the music industry. People stop doing what they cannot make money doing.

Answer 3

It is bad because essentially if everyone downloaded music instead of paying for it then some artists couldnt survive. Its like saying why dont you do your job for free? Now grant it if a musical talent tours, no one can steal that from them and the printed music is more like an advertisement for their concerts. Some musicians dont make the kind of music or dont have the ability to let them tour so the only way they can make money is from their printed media. On the flip side if a CD wasn’t $15-$20 while the artist maybe gets $1 of the proceeds, if you could just buy music online for a reasonable price while making all music very accessible at this rate, I think there would be less of a problem. Unfortunately the powers to be have been fighting technology too long instead of embracing it. When it comes down to it if you really like an artist and most of the music on a CD then you really should pay for it and help support that artist to continue to make great music. I see good and bad in the open nature of unpaid music leeching.

Answer 4

Illegal downloading is bad because those who do it are stealing from those who create it.

Imagine if YOU wrote a song. The music publisher says they'll pay you $.75 for every CD that's sold, or $.15 every time it's downloaded from iTunes.

Your song takes off, it's the greatest song in the world. Everyone wants it, but instead of buying the CD or downloading it legally, they're taking your song and illegally distributing it. Now, more and more people are listening to your song, but you're not getting paid.

You may say, "Oh, they make so much money, they don't need mine. It won't make a difference." But, it does. And, you're literally stealing the intellectual property (the song) that the writer wrote and the artist performed.

Wouldn't you rather be paid if it were you? Pay for the stuff you listen to. It encourages the writers and performers to continue with what they're doing.

Answer 5

Yes it is bad to steal music, however, I think it is equally bad to monopolize an industry and force consumers to pay high costs. The music industry deserves this problem, when they come down to earth perhaps people will be more willing to actually pay for their products. Also, just because something is illegal does not mean it is bad.

Answer 6

its not illegal to go and download the music without paying on like limewire and shiit its only illegal for the people who PUT copyrighted marterial on top of limewire for other users to download with out paying, but even then the RIAA and all them target the companies such as limewire and not the people using it. This is because suing individual people is chump change, the RIAA cant get 30 million from sueing the people as easy as it is to go get it from suing the company, plus the RIAA blames the companies for allowing its users to be able to do that, so your good as long as you dont try to sell or share copyrighted material, but even then bob doubts they will do anything to you. it is also illegal to sell copyrighted material without the artists or whoever copyrighted it's permission.

Answer 7

It is theft pure and simple. You are not paying for something that someone created with the intent of selling for a profit.

Answer 8

It is bad because then music stores don't get money.

Answer 9

If you are working and someone came along and took part of your paycheck, why would that be so bad?

SAME exact idea.

It's called stealing!

Answer 10

i dont know.
your the one that needs it for school...
as do i but that doesnt count!
lol.
huggs
Caitlyn