Why is file sharing a violation of the copyright laws?

Answer 1

Copyright gives the rightsholder the exclusive right to copy, alter, distribute, or perform/display the work. Anyone else doing this without their permission is violating their rights.

Uploading a file is both copying and distributing, and downloading it is copying.

Answer 2

There are three main reasons, it seems, why people choose to violate copyright.

1. Laziness. Some people are too lazy to produce creative works for themselves. So they decide to steal someone else's.
2. Greed. Some people are thirsty for income. But rather than spend time creating things themselves, they steal someone else's to try and make a quick profit from it. It doesn't work out well in the end because 90% of the time they are caught and sued to recover the lost profits.
3. Attention (or pride). Some people feel like they need recognition, attention and praise. So they will steal other people's content to achieve this. Of course, the recognition, attention and praise are false. Most of the time they get rumbled and sent a legal document warning them to cease or face charges. Most cease, those who do not are charged.