BLOG: Citizen Media

Made to represent the interests of major record labels, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been suing computer users for using the internet to download music. While the RIAA says they only target the worst downloaders, their list of lawsuit targets includes a 12 year old girl, a dead man and a disabled single mother. The RIAA says they do this because downloaded music keeps the record labels from making the money they could get by selling albums.

Opponents of the RIAA say that downloading music doesn’t stop people from buying more music, and downloaders are more afraid of viruses than being sued. They also say that RIAA costs built in to CD prices take money away from the artists.

Do you consider downloading music stealing or sharing? Does the music industry have the right to prevent downloading or do consumers have the right to exchange copyrighted materials? Do you think downloads are cutting into the music industry’s profits?