Internet Piracy
Balancing Digital Theft Prevention and Freedom of Expression
In May 1999, an 18-year-old college student founded an Internet service called Napster that made it easy for users to swap and download music for free. The Recording Industry Association of America filed suit, charging copyright infringement, and a series of legal battles ensued. In September 2001, Napster agreed to a settlement and became a fee-based service with music licensed by publishers. By that time, however, it had gained an enormous following, bringing to light the problem of Internet piracy — the unlawful reproduction and/or distribution of any copyrighted digital file that can change hands over the Internet. Today, Internet…
