Yun Jeong Lee/Persuasive essay/Tue 3,4

Is downloading copyrighted materials from the Internet a crime?

 

 

201002551 E.I.T

Yun Jeong Lee

 

             As more and more people around the world are getting access to the Internet, Internet-related crime rates are also escalating. Especially in Korea, downloading copyrighted materials from the Internet has become a serious problem. It is reported that approximately 83% of the Korean population have access to high-speed Internet. Such easy access has facilitated illegal downloads of copyrighted materials. However, it is a crime to download such materials without paying a just price for their use.

             First of all, copyrighted materials are usually directly or indirectly related to financial profits. For example, music and movies-typical copyrighted materials-are usually made for profit in the first place. Singers and musicians record their music and gain profit from selling CDs and getting paid for the use of their music. Movie makers also seek profit through selling their movies to theaters or on DVDs. However, if their works are available on the Internet for free or unjustly cheap price, it would be unfair because the movie makers and musicians will earn that much less money. In other words, one man sows and another man reaps.

             Moreover, illegal downloads of copyrighted materials can discourage people who produce those materials. For example, if music files were so easily downloadable from the Internet, musicians would feel discouraged because they would feel that their music is 'stolen' and 'distributed' for a cheap price. Their earning would decrease and their music would lose value. Movie makers would also feel the same. Easy and cheap distribution of their works might make their movies less valuable. Thus, they might be discouraged from making any more movies.

             Some people argue that downloading materials from the Internet is not a crime because they are only sharing materials for nonprofit purposes. However, this is unreasonable because materials shared online spread very fast and may have unintended consequences. For example, one might share a copyrighted material with five friends. One might think that just five people have downloaded the material, but those five friends may share it with five of their friends, causing a snowball effect and making a network of downloaders. Such sharing might continue, and the material might become so widespread that it influences the copyrighter.

             Copyrighted materials must be protected by law. Internet downloads may affect copyrighters' profits and also discourage them by lowering values of their work. Therefore, illegal and indiscriminate downloads of such materials from the Internet is a crime and violation of law. Stricter regulations should be set up to control illegal downloads and to protect copyrighters' rights.