File sharing programs such as KaZaa, Ares, iMesh and Limewire have never been more popular. They are pretty controversial as well. You may have heard of the countless lawsuits against them by music records companies and the MPAA. So is downloading MP3 from these programs legal?
How Do File Sharing Programs Work?
Modern file sharing programs connects users directly to each other allowing them to share and download files. They are also called P2P, or peer to peer programs. Unlike old file sharing programs such as Napster who ran all connections through their servers. That is also why it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly who is downloading what.
File sharing programs by themselves are not illegal. In fact, they are legitimate uses for it. For example, it is used by academy institutions and universities to exchange research data and cross learning. They are also used by musicians and artists to showcase their talents by distributing their music free through file-sharing networks.
Many people are confused as to what is legal to download and what is not. The problem stems from the fact that it is so easy to download illegal MP3 and other illegal files from these file sharing networks that people often do not know they are actually violating copyright laws.
They do not have sufficient knowledge of copyright laws. Current copyright laws allow an individual to rip MP3 provided he or she has brought a copy of the CD. However, he or she cannot give, sell or upload MP3 to others. Beware due to MP3 piracy, record companies have recently developed technologies that do not allow you to rip mp3 from CD. Add to that, they are dozens of websites on the internet proclaiming to be able to download mp3 and movies legally when they are not!
How to determine whether you can download MP3 legally?
Technically, any MP3 posted on file-sharing programs without the permission of the artist is illegal. Most commercial MP3 on file sharing networks are illegal, so my advice would be to avoid them altogether.
There are a few reputable MP3 download sites on the internet you can trust. The most famous of all is itunes from Apple. Napster has a subscription service per month that allows you to download more than two million mp3 legally. Technically, you do not own the mp3 so do not give, sell or upload to file sharing networks.
Dan Lim blogs about current free MP3 download sites and MP3 converters. His Blog is part of the Infoknowledge blog network.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Let New Music Mp3s Entertain You! Download Legal Mp3s!
- Quality Country Music MP3s are Safe and Legal
- Top 5 Reasons To Download Country Music MP3s
- How to Get Unlimited Music Mp3 Downloads Instantly
- Download Music Mp3 Online – your Choices
- Download Music Mp3 Online – Faqs Concerning Download Sites
- Turn your Music Mp3 Player Into a Portable Stereo That Rocks!
- Photo-image-music-mp3-video sharing — all for some good reasons
Hero Guitar Tabs Nickelback
By: George Christodoulou | 27/12/2009Hero Guitar Tabs Nickelback
Hero Guitar Tabs Enrique
By: Lee Dobbins | 27/12/2009Hero Guitar Tabs Enrique
Hero Guitar Tabs Skillet
By: Lee Dobbins | 27/12/2009Hero Guitar Tabs Skillet
Beginning guitar lessons
By: Tomas | 27/12/2009When you think of beginning guitar lessons for yourself or kids or someone you know, you have two options to do that. One is taking the learning materials such as those found in online programs and going through the course at your own pace.
Hero Guitar Tabs
By: Lee Dobbins | 27/12/2009Hero Guitar Tabs
Hero Guitar Chords
By: Lee Dobbins | 27/12/2009Hero Guitar Chords
Guitar Hero World Tour Mac
By: Lee Dobbins | 27/12/2009Guitar Hero World Tour Mac
Guitar Hero 3 For Mac
By: Lee Dobbins | 27/12/2009Guitar Hero 3 For Mac
How To Choose A Barcode Printer
By: Kb Lim | 28/08/2006 | ElectronicsBarcode Printers nowadays comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes with varying price range. It can also either be hand-held or desk bound. Technically, general purpose laserjet and inkjet printers cannot print barcodes by default.
How To Ship A Car
By: Kb Lim | 24/08/2006 | AutomotiveI imagine it would be quite a daunting task for someone who has never shipped a car before. Hence I decided to write a short guide that focus on the most crucial things to take note of based on my experiences.
The Five Types Of Web Hosting - Part I
By: Kb Lim | 11/08/2006 | Web HostingNowadays, there are so many choices when it comes to web hosting. The cost also varies a lot depending on the type of plan you are planning to get. Here is a brief explanation of the different types of hosting available. I will begin with the least expensive to the most expensive.
Medical Benefits of Tempurpedic Foam Mattress
By: Kb Lim | 06/08/2006 | Non-FictionTempurpedic foam mattress are viscoelastic. That means the mattress was designed in such a way as to conform to the contours of your body. Compared with many other mattress which are usually too rigid and resist the contours of your body. Some mattresses on the other hand are too soft and don't offer support to your body when you are sleeping.
An Introduction To Unsecured Student Loans
By: Kb Lim | 28/07/2006 | Non-FictionThere are many students in the United States who are having a hard time paying their student fees. For most student loans, it requires that you have some collateral, meaning you need to have some equity such as a home or a car before you can even about getting a student loan. So what happens if you do not have both?
How To Remove Bad Credit Home Equity Loan
By: Kb Lim | 27/07/2006 | Non-FictionThe number one reason why some homeowners have difficulty getting a home equity loan is because of bad credit. In my company, we called it bad credit home equity loan.
Homeschooling Becoming A Viable Alternative?
By: Kb Lim | 26/07/2006 | HomeschoolingLast year alone, more than one million children in the United States choose homeschooling over traditional education. This stunting figure was released according to the National Center for Education Statistics.