Copyright Infringement via Internet-based File-sharing Technology :: Technology Essays

Copyright Infringement via Internet-based File-sharing Systems    Internet-based file-sharing systems are gaining popularity, and consequently the sharing of copyrighted materials has become rampant.   Fueled by server-based systems such as FreeDrive and peer-to-peer systems such as Napster, copyrighted materials are being propagated all over the Internet, and while shutting down such systems seems to answer some of these problems, it is in no way a complete solution.   By examining these file-sharing systems and the legal issues that envelope them, more appropriate regulatory means may be discovered. The same technologies that make the Internet useful to its users, such as standardized data-sharing protocols and universal connectivity, are making it easier for people to perform illicit activities via the Web.   Further, with broadband technologies such as Digital Subscriber Line and cable modems making there way into more and more homes, the bottleneck once provided by analog phone lines and modems is disappearing making it easier to share large multimedia files via the Internet. Illegally distributing copyrighted materials is harmful to the industries involved, preventing content providers from receiving money that is rightfully theirs and possibly raising costs for legitimate users.   Further, doing so on a large scale has never been easier, and regulating this distribution has proven to be extremely difficult.   For instance, a number of sites exist which provide their users with free Internet storage, some of which, such as FreeDrive, permitting unrestricted public access.   This allows for legitimate users to access the public domain files of other users, making the sharing of non-copyrighted material such as personal pictures and information very easy.   However, it also makes it incredibly simple for a dishonest person to place copyrighted materials on such a site and post a link to it, effectively distributing whatever goods he or she has to offer to the entire Internet community. Similarly, Napster, which follows a peer-to-peer file-sharing model, promotes the distribution of copyrighted materials, namely music.   It allows millions of users to share and search through the amalgamation of their files, effectively creating a virtually limitless resource of digital music.   This has led to a number of debates regarding the legality of the software application, as well as several attempts to shut the service down. Recently the RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America, has made efforts to shut down Napster, and in rebuttal, Napster has focused on six core arguments that they felt lent "great legal weight to their position that neither the company, nor its users were violating the law"i.