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The cost of prosecuting everybody that downloaded music would be far too expensive. The cases I've heard about being prosecuted are people that have shared the music, and usually people who put about 1000 songs online for sharing...they want to make an example of the major offenders...

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18y ago
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11y ago

If you do not have legal permission, and you go ahead and copy or distribute copyrighted music anyway, you can be prosecuted in criminal court and/or sued for damages in civil court.

  • Criminal penalties for first-time offenders can be as high as five years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
  • Civil penalties can run into many thousands of dollars in damages and legal fees. The minimum penalty is $750 per song. (Suddenly, $1 per song doesn't look so expensive. ;-D )

The "No Electronic Theft Law" (NET Act) is similar on copyright violations that involve digital recordings:

  • Criminal penalties can run up to 5 years in prison and/or $250,000 in fines, even if you didn't do it for monetary or financial or commercial gain.
  • If you did expect something in return, even if it just involves swapping your files for someone else's, as in MP3 trading, you can be sentenced to as much as 5 years in prison.
  • Regardless of whether you expected to profit, you're still liable in civil court for damages and lost profits of the copyright holder.
  • Or the copyright holders can sue you for up to $150,000 in statutory damages for each of their copyrighted works that you illegally copy or distribute. In the US, statutory fines range from $750 to $30,000 per infringement, but most rights holders will settle for much less than this, typically closer to actual damages.

If you make digital copies of copyrighted music on your computer available to anyone through the internet without the permission of the copyright holder, you're stealing. And if you allow a P2P file-sharing network to use part of your computer's hard drive to store copyrighted recordings that anyone can access and download, you're on the wrong side of the law.

Artists depend on financial support for their work. Without money some musicians could no longer afford to make music.

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13y ago

Sites such as Limewire, that illegally capture music from one uploaded user to the next without compensation the rightful artist(s).

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10y ago

The punishment for illegally sharing music is prosecution in criminal court or being sued if you do not have permission to share the music. There can be a fine of $750 per song.

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Q: What is the punishment for illegal sharing of music files?
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Related questions

Isn't sharing unlicensed music files on a P2P system as illegal as recording music on an mp3 player from the radio You are getting music for free when you record from radio and save it on your mp3?

no its not illegal


Who else besides the artist are affected by the illegal sharing of music files or games cds?

The recording album


Is file sharing illegal?

File Sharing networks are not all illegal. Many companys use File Sharing to get stuff to there employees easier. When people use them to give other people music on the internet without paying than it is illegal.


Is there any sharing websites music video etc?

For emerging artists, it is necessary to create top-quality music and video to get the attention of a large audience at once. On GYXZ TV, you get to access a plethora of fresh songs and videos and can easily share them on other devices. With one account, you can easily access your library on various devices simultaneously. Also, the best thing is that this website is entirely legit and offers tons of amazing resources. Plus, it is helpful for budding artists who want to make audio or video content for various social media platforms. Here, you get the expert's help to create superb-quality music video content using cutting-edge equipment and advanced software to get premium results.


Can you transfer files from your iPod to iTunes to LimeWire?

You aren't supposed to be able to transfer from your iPod to iTunes. Apple thinks this will cause illegal music sharing.


Is lemon wire illegal?

As with any peer to peer (p2p) file sharing software the software itself is not illegal and can be used for legal purposes. However the sharing of copyright files (such as music, movies and games) is illegal. If you would normally pay for something in a store but you are downloading it without paying for it you are stealing it; which is illegal.


When file sharing is illegal in NZ will i still be able to download mp3 files from sites such as Newgrounds?

Yes, First of all, the MP3 files on Newgrounds are legal. They are all licensed under a Creative Commons license, which means they can be distributed for free. Secondly, not all file sharing is illegal. Files that can be legally redistributed, such as the music on Newgrounds or freeware programs, can be shared.


Is limewirecom legal?

LimeWire is a legal file-sharing program. Using it to share or download copyrighted files such as music, is illegal and violates the LimeWire Terms of Service.


Why downloading music should be illegal?

It Shouldn't


Discuss sharing of copyright music on mp3 files?

It is illegal. It is very common. Because the law can't track it, it's up to individual ethics to do the right thing.


Is it illegal to copy music your cousin leant you and gave you permission to copy it?

No, because it is considered "sharing" music.


Are music sharing sites safe?

NO! Some are illegal! You should just download music off of cds.