Users Indicate Mixed Responses Regarding Online File-Sharing

By Omar Tanamly (November 10, 2003)

"Forget about it, dude -- even genocidal litigation can't stop file sharers," said Wayne Rosso, president of Grokster, in response to a question regarding the pains being taken to stop online file-sharing.
 

Recently, Lasso Online conducted a survey regarding online music file-sharing, polling 117 students about their experiences, thoughts, and personal preferences regarding file-sharing. For brief background information, the Recording Industry Association of America recently began directing lawsuits against people using file-sharing programs like Kazaa, Morpheus, and WinMX, for illegally downloading files. Sixty-one percent of Mason students participating in the survey professed to having participated in online file-sharing within the last six months. However, a significant 69% of all students participating admitted to downloading less frequently subsequent to the influx of expensive lawsuits, some of which are asking for up to $150,000 in reimbursement fees, per song.

A Lasso Online survey revealed that many Mason  students use websites like Kazaa (shown here) to  download music. However, the survey also showed  that many students also have stopped downloading  music since RIAA has begun aggressive lawsuits.  (Photo by Omar Tanamly)

While a study conducted by Zeropaid.com, a website concerning online file-sharing, states that two out of three American teens oppose fines for downloading music, 82% of participating George Mason students believe that file-sharing is not that big of a deal, and is not worthy of such excessive fines. Twelve percent had not realized that the act of file-sharing was illegal.

Seventy-six percent of those who have downloaded music in the last six months commented that they did not feel they were committing an illegal act while downloading music online. However, 14 percent did admit to feeling guilty of a crime when they downloaded music, with 10 percent having mixed feelings. Is such a standard "offense" worthy of as much condemnation as it is receiving? The RIAA believe so, and its president, Cary Sherman comments; "The message that downloading or distributing copyrighted music files is illegal and can have real consequences is beginning to take hold in the consciousness of families across the country. This is an essential prerequisite for fostering an environment where legitimate online music businesses can flourish."

While online programs like Aimster, Morpheus, iMesh, and WinMX were identified as commonly-used online music providers by Masonites, Kazaa is used the most often with a considerable 76 percent of George Mason students who have shared music online having used it.

Are file-sharers to blame, sometimes unknowingly, for engaging in illegal activity? Sherman says "…the operators of [the] unauthorized networks should be held accountable…for the illegal activity occurring on their networks, especially when they knowingly deceive their customers into engaging in illegal activity."

"Leave us alone and let us listen to our music!" wrote a 10^th grade female who participated in the survey, while a senior female defended the opposite point of view with her comment; "The artists work hard…it is not fair that they don’t get paid for their work." Arguing the value of online file-sharing, one 12^th grade male said, "I’ve bought more CD’s because of music downloads." "The RIAA should give up; they’ll never win as long as we have computers," defiantly remarked one 10^th grade female.

The RIAA, however, is not giving up and is cracking down, with more and more lawsuits each month, focusing primarily on heavy users, those who have downloaded around 1,000 illegally-accessed files, which, depending on the speed of one’s Internet access, are not impossible to attain.

"… [T]here's a growing awareness that taking music that is not yours off the Internet can have real consequences…" voices RIAA President, Cary Sherman. It can, and only time will tell what will become of the online file-sharing fiasco.