Illegal Downloading

Cameron

Pirating music and movies is a growing problem among young people that has very serious implications on the business world. For every single song that gets illegally downloaded, there are recording artists, songwriters, audio engineers, computer technicians, talent scouts, marketing specialists, producers, and publishers whom do not get paid, despite the hours they put in to making that one song. As a result, the RIAA works to prevent piracy and protect the rights of those who make music. The Recording Industry Association of America, or RIAA for short, consists of major recording labels that produce approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music that is produced and sold in the United States. The RIAA has had laws put in place that outlaw illegal downloading, yet people still knowingly break the law pirate music. However, illegal downloading is not the only way one can illegally acquire music. For example, if someone were to legally purchase a CD and make copies that they distribute to others, they would be in violation of the law. It is legal however to make multiple copies of CDs that were purchased legally for individual use. However, illegal downloading is still the more common method of illegally acquiring music. Illegally downloading music costs the entire United States economy money.

For example, according to a study performed by the Institute for Policy Innovation, global music piracy annually costs $12.5 billion to the economy, 71,060 jobs, $2.7 billion in workers' earnings, $422 million in tax revenues, $291 million in personal income tax, and $131 million in production taxes and corporate income.

Similarly, according to the RIAA's official website, since Napster, a file-sharing website became prominent in 1999, music sales have dropped drastically from $14.6 billion to $7.7 billion, a number that equates approximately 47%. Furthermore, between 2004 and 2009, approximately 30 billion songs were downloaded through illegal...