Is it OK to download MP3s, software and movies without paying. Let?s look at the arguments for and against using music recordings as the main example.
It?s Just a Copy
For: It is not stealing. It is just creating copy of a product. That product still exists and can be sold; Therefore, downloading a copy of a computer file is not the same as stealing a physical product like a CD.
Against: Copyright laws are put into place to try to ensure that people in creative industries (filmmakers, musicians, writers, composers, software developers etc.) are able to get paid for the things they create (their intellectual property). If an artist works hard to compose and record a song, shouldn?t he/she be able to gain financial rewards, just like a professional in any other field? Not paying for something which is intended to be paid for, no matter whether it is a physical object or not, is still stealing.
Winner: Against
Score: 0 ? 1
I Support the Artists I Like in My Own Way
For: Think of it like a test drive. I?ll try out the songs and if I like them enough maybe I?ll spend some money and buy the album or maybe I will go to that band?s concert and buy some merchandise. Bands should focus on making money from concerts and merchandise rather than from selling music.
Against: There are a lot of ifs and maybes in your argument. Of all the songs you downloaded and liked, have you always ended up buying something (tickets, a CD, merchandise) from that artist? Also, you can usually preview parts of songs on Amazon or YouTube. Do you really need to hear every part of every song on the whole album before you decide to buy it?
Winner: Against
Score: 0 ? 2
The Robin Hood Approach Part 1
For: Pop stars are rich. Do I really want to be subsidizing their luxurious lifestyles? They don?t need any more money. Song uploaders and downloaders are modern-day Robin Hoods
Against: Is it really OK to steal from the rich? Maybe let?s just leave that argument aside for now. Are you trying to say that people are downloading only the songs of wealthy, pampered pop stars? Most performers and songwriters are just normal people struggling to make ends meet. If music sales continue to decline while illegal downloading increases, the big mainstream pop stars will still thrive as record companies will focus their investments on proven success. However, very few non-mainstream artists will be able to gain a foothold in the industry. These artists will not be able to pursue a full-time career in the music industry and will likely never get beyond the amateur/hobbyist stage.
Winner: Against
Score: 0 ? 3
They Robin Hood Approach Part 2
For: Record companies are rich. Besides, they take almost all the performers? money from CD sales; they are immoral, greedy corporations and I don?t want to support them.
Against: Artists do get royalties from CD and online music sales, though terms vary greatly (entertainment.howstuffworks.com/music-royalties6.htm) and many artists will receive nothing (because they need to pay back advances given to them by the company). Record companies need to invest a lot of money in each new act and in the large majority of cases, these acts end up losing the company money. Besides, you say you are supporting the artist, but by not buying their work, you are still denying them income and are making it less likely they can get a new contract.
Winner: Draw (Admittedly the recording industry can really improve the way artists are treated and remunerated, but downloading music without buying it still harms the artist).
Score: 0.5 ? 3.5
Let Them Eat Cake
For: Many artists simply want to be heard and praised. Anyone who is in the music business for the money is not a true artist. Free downloading means more people can hear their music, right? Isn?t that what they want?
Against: Praise can?t buy food. While some artists do release free music (as a kind of promotion or because they treat music as a hobby and don?t need the income), professionals can?t be expected to give their work away for free.
Winner: Against
Score: 0.5 ? 4.5
It?s Too Expensive
Music CDs, Software, and Movie DVDs are simply too expensive. For example, digital recording techniques have reduced the amount of money needed to record a CD. Production, packaging and delivery costs are reduced (especially when compared to the cost or making vinyl albums). In addition, most albums aren?t worth it. If I buy a whole album, there might only be one or two decent songs on it. The value for money simply isn?t there. Even some music insiders agree (www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11547279)
Against: There are lots of costs involved. Sure record companies make a lot of money from CD sales of very popular artists, but this money is used to invest in new artists and less commercially successful artists. Anyways, just because something is expensive, that doesn?t give you the right to get it for free.
Winner: Draw
Score: 1 ? 5
Everyone Is Doing It
For: Everyone I know has illegal downloads. Maybe it is ?illegal?, but it can?t be wrong if so many people are doing it.
Against: That doesn?t make it right. Throughout history, there are many examples of ?everyone? doing the wrong thing (slavery in the confederate states, apartheid in South Africa, Nazism in Germany). If a kind of behavior is a social norm, then it is much easier for people to justify doing it, but it may still not be morally correct.
Winner: Against (The creative industries, however, were really slow off the mark to recognize and tackle this problem, so they get a lot of the blame).
Score:1? 6
I Can?t Buy It; I Can Download It
For: Some things are not available to be bought (especially if you live outside of the US) or are very difficult to buy, but they can be easily downloaded for free.
Against: It?s difficult, but you should still do the right thing and buy it.
Winner: For (If something is easier to get for free than it is to buy, that?s a strong disincentive to purchasing.)
Score: 2? 6
And the winner is:
No, it is not OK (2 ? 6).
Some of ?the ?for? arguments seem to downgrade the role of the artist. They are not being considered as professionals trying to earn a living, but as either celebrities who have too much already or as hobbyists who should be grateful we care about them enough to listen to them. It seems that a lot of us need to think more carefully about what we want from our artists and what we are prepared to give them in return.
The remaining arguments tend to focus on fairness (Are prices fair? Do artists receive their fair share of sales revenue?) and the practical issue of availability.?There are, therefore, a few things creative industries, like the record industry, can do to improve the situation.
- Make work easy to purchase online, preferably without a credit card (otherwise teens, who don?t have credit cards, will just get in the habit of downloading things illegally)
- Review the pricing system (If prices are low enough and if people can preview and buy just the track they want, will they be more willing to spend their money?)
- Make sure the actual creative people are treated paid properly and that the general public is aware of it (so they feel that when they are purchasing CDs they are mainly supporting the artist, not the company).
Have I missed any common arguments?
What are you views? Do you agree with the ?results?? ?Leave a comment below.
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