Are Peer-To-Peer Networks Or File Sharing Websites Liable For Copyright Breaches?

Submitted By MooonlightPm1
Words: 1561
Pages: 7
Open Document
Are peer-to-peer networks or file sharing websites liable for copyright breaches? Or it is users duty not to infringe copyright law?

Since we are living in digital era everyday a new digital technology has introduce to it’s users .One of these technologies which has varied the way people use electronic products is peer to peer networks and file sharing sites. They allows users to watch clips and movies, listen to the music, read EBooks or even sometimes download any of these products free of charge. While some people believe the advent of file sharing sites such as BitTorrent, 4shared,YouTube, megaupload, etc. are beneficial and it helped the society others said it has weakened the copyright and it arise tension amongst copyright holders. File sharing sites and peer-to-peer networks has long been a debated issue since they have been initiated. The question is whether these kinds of sites or networks are liable for breaching copyright or it is the people who are uploading the files duty not to infringe copyright law. Although file-sharing hosts refused that they are liable for breaching copyright law and blaming the users for this matter, however it is clear that they are the first place respondent regarding copyright infringement. Therefore, the users who uploaded the unauthorized files and materials can be seen in the second place.1

There are some reasons why the first respondents for breaching copyright are file-sharing holders. They are encouraging their user infringing copyright by financing, programming and administrating their websites. As they are administrating their websites so, despite of they always denied that, they have the ability to monitor or control how users of their sites exchange files. They always claim that due to the enormous number of users of their sites and services they are not able to control the files which are exchange over their sites, they also state that they have put the information about copyright in their websites which is true but actually it’s not practical as the users might be not enough educated about copyright and aware of copyright breach consequences. Accordingly, if the users know that they will be monitored for the files that they have upload, they didn’t put up the files, which they haven’t got the authority of. Sharing unauthorized files such as music, movies, software, etc. leads to losing vast revenue for the industries who have holding the copyright permission.2
This begins when in June 1999 Shawn Fanning a Boston’s Northern university student has released Napster, which is the first file sharing service. Because the service is intuitive and easy to use and also have a large amount of music, it has increased the number of its users up to 30 million in first year. Not long after this success the legitimate problems started. In December 1999 the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued Napster for “ contributory” and “vicarious” copyright infringement. In 2001 finally the court came up to a decision that Napster was liable for both charges. They have to shut down the site, as they are not able to filter the files through the Internet.3
It seems that not only the file-sharing hosts believe they are not responsible for copyright infringement, but in some cases which are a few other people have the same idea. For instance, in August 2004 a court in the United States found that the two distributors, Grokster and StreamCast Networks, which offers the Morpheus file-sharing service, are not liable for aiding copyright infringement because they do not have the ability to monitor or control how users of their software exchange files. 4
However there are a lot more examples, which prove that the file-sharing hosts are the first one who are liable for copyright breaches.
“In 2009, the four Swedish founders of the well known free file sharing website “Pirate Bay” have been sentenced to a year in jail and a 2.7 million euro fine for breach of copyright.”5
“In
Show More

Related Documents: Are Peer-To-Peer Networks Or File Sharing Websites Liable For Copyright Breaches?

Essay on Peer To Peer And Client Server Solutions

Peer To Peer and Client Server Solutions Client Server A client server network is a type of computing system, which is run by a central hub . It serves the rest of the Peer to Peer On a peer-to-peer network all the clients are equal and can communicate with any client on the network, depending on what access rights it has. Every computer on a peer-to-peer network can be used as a server or a client. A computer is classed as a server if it shares…

Words 624 - Pages 3

Essay on Peer Pressure

can lead to seizures, falling unconscious, and even death. Teens all around the world are pressured every day. Teens are perfectly capable of making their own verdict, but may not make the right one. There are two types of peer pressure, good peer pressure and bad. Good peer pressure for example, is a friend persuading you not to go running in the height of day (a teen may not necessarily understand the dangers of heat), because it’s too hot outside, or someone who pushes to doing your homework…

Words 458 - Pages 2

Essay On Peer Mentoring

sheet and Feedback Unit Title: Understanding Peer Mentoring Assessment Criteria: 1.1a, 1.1b Learner name: Date Submitted: I confirm that this evidence is authentic and my own work Learner signature: Date: Feedback: Sharon, you have answered all 10 questions correctly and shown that you understand the aims of a Peer Mentoring programme. You have described the potential benefits and and aims of Peer mentoring, hit on the best outcome for when a Peer Mentoring relationship has met its aims. Good…

Words 2842 - Pages 12

Antisocial Peer Association

has been a lot of speculation regarding antisocial peer association and its role in the development of later or continued criminal behaviour. Individuals who are associated with other criminals commit majority of offences both violent and non-violent. It is hypothesized that participation in crime is directly related to antisocial peers. However, recent studies have shown a direct relationship with other factors (parental control and attachment, peer rejection, and self-esteem) that indirectly lead…

Words 548 - Pages 3

Essay Peer Pressure

Peer pressure. Everyone faces it, but depending on the situation it can have its own affects on a person. During the developmental process, children hit a stage where the advice from someone their own age is more beneficial in their eyes verses an adult. Often peer pressure is given a negative connotation, but this doesn’t always isn’t the case. Associating yourself with a positive group of people and having their “peer pressure” can be a good thing. Such as if your peers pressured you into taking…

Words 878 - Pages 4

Peer Leadership Essay

forever was something I had never experienced before and I had felt completely out of my comfort zone. As the year progressed, Peer Leadership had done a prodigious job during all freshman transitions. Each Peer Leader made me feel at ease; whether it was directing me to my next class, or being an excellent role model for myself as well as my peers. The impact each Peer Leader had left on me was extraordinary. From that day on, I had promised myself that I would work as hard as I could to follow…

Words 759 - Pages 4

Peer-2-Peer Program Research Paper

Throughout my time in the peer-2-peer program, I have been given the wondrous opportunity to work with the boys in the ASD room. I have been involved in this program for two years, and have learned so much not only about myself, but also about individuals with autism as a whole. One major thing I have learned about myself is the amount of patience I have and that working with students with autism is something I want in my future. I learned that I hold a great amount of patience and a lot of compassion…

Words 419 - Pages 2

Peer Review Reflection

I submitted my paper for peer-review, I expected my peer to evaluate my paper as quickly as possible. This expectation was definitely met because my peer was able to get back to me in a timely manner. I was happy that my peer got back to me on time because I like to work ahead and procrastination is something that I tend to stay away from. The second thing that I expected from the peer-review process was for my peer to be as honest as possible. I was hoping that my peer will be honest with me because…

Words 252 - Pages 2

Peer Pressure In Kindred

Peer pressure is a idea that does not always have a good side to it. In Kindred by Octavia E. Butler and the Scholastic article Peer Pressure: Its Influence on Teens and Decision Making, they both have some sort of driving force or peer pressure that causes characters to make bad decisions or take bad actions. Anyone can be peer pressured weather it is by other people or the setting you are in. While peer pressure can be a bad thing, there can be good that comes out of it. Overall, peer pressure…

Words 878 - Pages 4

Essay on Peer Pressure

Eddie Young Peer Pressure Peer Pressure can disturb a person’s choices heavily. Peer pressure drives people to make an immediate decision giving it little to no thought at all. This is dangerous because this makes a person conform to someone elses ideas. This factor can influence people and allow them to become weak minded or just more dependant on others. Peer pressure almost seems like a petty version of temporarily brainwashing somebody. The pressure can make you develop into someone you aren’t…

Words 543 - Pages 3