You make an MP3 copy of a song because the CD you bought expressly permits you to do so.You download an app on your smartphone that allows you to ‘strip’ the audio from any YouTube music video and permanently keep that audio in your music collection.Regardless of the format at issue, the same basic principle applies: music sound recordings may not be copied or distributed without the permission of the owner.Ī long series of court rulings has made it very clear that uploading and downloading copyrighted music without permission on P2P networks constitutes infringement and could be a crime.Ĭommon examples of online copyright infringement: copyright law does in fact provide full protection of sound recordings, whether they exist in the form of physical CD’s or digital files.

Further, when you’re on the Internet, digital information can seem to be as free as air. After all, compact discs may be easily be copied multiple times with inexpensive CD-R burning technology.

Criminal charges may leave you with a felony record, accompanied by up to five years of jail time and fines up to $250,000. A civil lawsuit could hold you responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. Making unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings is against the law and may subject you to civil and criminal liability. (Title 17, United States Code, Sections 501 and 506). Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, rental or digital transmission of copyrighted sound recordings. Though you may not find these messages on all compact discs or music you’ve downloaded from the Internet, the same laws apply.

Most likely, you’ve seen the FBI warning about unauthorized copying at the beginning of a movie DVD. When you make unauthorized copies of someone’s creative work, you are taking something of value from the owner without his or her permission. The LawĬopyright law protects the value of creative work. Read on to learn to distinguish between legal and illegal practices. Many different actions qualify as piracy, from downloading unauthorized versions of copyrighted music from a file-sharing service to illegally copying music using streamripping software or mobile apps. About Piracy Music theft-or piracy-is constantly evolving as technology changes.

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