File sharing has become a major problem for the entertainment industry. With the use of file sharing web sites such as www.kazaa.com, www.limewire.com, www.bearshare.com, and www.bittorrent.com many people are stealing music and movies by downloading them for free. The process works by users connecting to an Internet based peer-to-peer network and making their files available to others connected to that same network. For example, a user logs on to the peer-to-peer network and searches for a particular song. In turn, the network searches through all logged on computers and displays who has it. The user initiates the download and a copy of the song is transferred to their computer. If a user's computer holds songs that others want, the same process is repeated in reverse. This is the file sharing process. The network makes everyone's files available in order to share.

The potential for viruses and other forms of malware from this activity is a major concern since users literally download files from unknown computers. In fact, some files are simply viruses disguised as songs or movies. Many times entertainment companies purposely dump placebo files in the mix to cause frustration and prevent users from downloading the real thing.

It is illegal to copy or share copyrighted material over the Internet. A friend of mine who works in the file sharing prevention industry told me he is surprised how many people play ignorant about what is copyrighted and what is not. His statement to me was "If it is not a home video of your family or a song you recorded yourself then it is probably copyrighted and you shouldn't be sharing it. In addition if you're not paying for it, and you can download it onto your computer for free, your copy is most likely obtained illegally." This is the bottom line.

The federal government has been working with music and movie executives to create new ways to crack down on illegal file sharing. Many legitimate web sites have been created that charge a fee to download music that is paid to the appropriate party. Obviously the free sites are more attractive and the apparent anonymity of the Internet makes it seem okay for many people.

Recently the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been targeting college students who have downloaded illegal music from campus networks across the US. They are mailing pre-litigation letters requesting the recipient to either settle out of court by paying a fee or face a civil lawsuit. See http://p2plawsuits.com for more info.

Here are some additional websites with information about file sharing.
http://www.riaa.com/
http://www.respectcopyrights.com
http://www.mpaa.org/piracy.asp

Websites to Allow Legal Purchases
http://www.apple.com
http://www.rhapsody.com
http://www.emusic.com
http://www.walmart.com