Napster vs. RIAA essays

Napster vs. RIAA essays Napster is: Not Violating Copyrights Going to be a Useful Tool for Musicians in the Future Copyright infringement has quickly become one of the most talked about issues of the internet. The most difficult aspect is defining its boundaries and pinpointing its limits. The distribution of music via Napster is a perfect example of a controversial issue that has sprouted due to copyright questions. Technically, Napster is not violating any copyright laws. Although it may appear as if Napster is distributing and illegally copying music, in actuality Napster is merely a server/database in which users have access to categorized MP3 files. Napster is also free. Copyright infringement is present only when the users illegally copy and distribute music files not merely the presence of a server. This paper takes the standpoint that Napster is going to be an extremely useful tool to the music industry in the future. Although it currently appears that these two groups are at entirely opposite ends, the solution to the problem is defining guidelines that will benefit both sides. The music industry has become extremely volatile with the emergence of company's like Napster, and Mp3.com. These, as well as others, are programs that allow the sharing and trading of music. Napster is software program that lets users create a virtual network in which they can see other users' MP3s and decide if they would like to download them or not. The Napster software also gives the ability to chat with other users and create a set of preferences based on your own musical tastes. And while some of the files being traded through Napster are legal, the majority of the files are not. The users of Napster are able to trade music that has not been authorized by record labels or individual artists. The problem remains that music is being...