Downloading and sharing files has become so wide spread and commonplace, that the ethics behind it are no longer black and white, but gray. When it comes to downloading a song from a major label artist, I feel that it is okay to download these songs because artists on major labels no longer make a lot of money through record sales. Instead it is through touring, which the record companies do an excellent job publicizing and charge a ridiculous amount for tickets (I recently paid $118 dollars for a Spice Girls ticket. For what? Five females in flashy costumes lip syncing. But I enjoyed every second). I also feel like it is okay to download independent artists. Often times I have a hard time finding the work of small artists in stores, and often times the websites their CD’s are sold through are not reliable, so I find it simpler just to download their work. But in me listening to their work, I am also sharing their music with my friends, which hopefully helps their ticket sales and notoriety. I have never had to download a second copy of a song I already own, but I would hate to repurchase something I already bought, so I guess I would probably download it to avoid paying. However, even though I would do it, I think it probably is more ethical to shell-out the 99 cents on Itunes than to download it because just because you already own something does not mean you own every copy. Like, if I own a sweater, and I want a second one to leave at my boyfriend’s house, I have to buy a second one. Maybe the shame should apply to music.
While I feel like downloading music, in most cases, is okay, many argue that it is identical to shoplifting a CD. However, shoplifting and stealing from a store effects many more people than the practice of downloading music. When you steal a CD, you are effecting the artist, the music label, as well as the music store and its employees, while downloading only effects the artist and music label because there is no middle man. I also do not agree with downloading music just to “sample” before purchasing. Why would someone purchase something they already got for free? I would not.
When it comes to something like copying a CD from a friend, I think this is fine because it is so mainstream and common place that the ethics behind the it have been dismissed. It is the evolution of the mix-tape. It is the sharing of music on a small basis. When it comes to sharing music on a world level, on networks like LimWire. Such a massive level of file sharing does take an impact on the music industry.
When it comes to the ethics of this issue, if we looked at it as a business, all of these scenarios would clearly be wrong. But because music is an art that we so closely identify with ourselves we feel a certain sense of ownership and therefore making the ethics behind file sharing all gray area for personal interpretation of the situation.
