THE FACTS ABOUT DOWNLOADING, FILE SHARING, AND CD BURNING
DEFINITION
Music piracy is any form of unauthorized duplication
and/or distribution of music including downloading,
file sharing, and CD-burning.
CONSIDER THIS
Most of us would never even consider stealing
something�say, a picture or a piece of clothing
�from a friend�s house. Our sense of right and
wrong keeps most of us from doing something so
selfish and antisocial. Yet when it comes to stealing digital recordings
of copyrighted music, people somehow seem to
think the same rules don�t apply�even though criminal
penalties can be as high as five years in prison
or $250,000 in fines. Contrary to popular opinion,
illegally downloading or copying copyrighted music
is the same as stealing; there is no difference.
BOTTOM LINE : It's Stealing
Stealing music is the same as stealing anything else.
It is illegal and the consequences are real - for you
and for the music.
- Stealing music is against the law.
- Stealing music betrays the songwriters and
recording artists who create it.
- Stealing music stifles the careers of new artists
and up-and-coming bands.
- Stealing music threatens the livelihood of the
thousands of working people�from recording
engineers to Christian music retailers
and their staffs �who are employed in this
ministry.
Enjoy the music! But please respect copyrights. Stop
burning multiple copies. Stop offering to upload
music files to millions of users on the Internet. Stop
downloading from unauthorized sites.
EFFECTS ON YOU
Music piracy doesn�t just affect the music industry, it
affects you as well. When you use software that facilitates
illegal downloads, you open your computer
to unwanted pornography, security breaches, and
viruses.
Illegal downloading and file-sharing is also
subject to federal prosecution. Here are a few facts:
- The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of
America) can sue for as much as $150,000
per song illegally downloaded.
- Almost 2000 individuals have been sued
by the RIAA for illegally downloading as
of March, 2004.
- More than 400 individuals have settled, paying fines averaging $3000.
- The Department of Justice recently announced
the creation of the Intellectual Property
Task Force, which examines all aspects
of how the DOJ handles intellectual property
issues.
EFFECTS ON ARTISTS & THEIR MINISTRY
The explosion in illegal copying is affecting the entire
music community. It has a very real and harmful
impact on virtually everyone - from countless musicians,
songwriters, performers, producers, recording
engineers and others who use music as their
platform for ministry.
For more information, contact us at
soundscan@cmta.biz
;
� Gospel Music Association /
Christian Music Trade Association
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