Human beings use technology for various reasons. One of the key aims of using modern technology is to make life easier and secure. This is possible through the many shortcuts that modern technology has brought in terms of accessing various services that would have otherwise taken too long to access (Fehily 17). There is no single aspect of human life that has not seen the impacts of using modern technology. The use of social network sites like Facebook and Twitter, and equipment like computers (including related gadgets), and mobile phones have simplified communication among people. File sharing is an aspect that has brought economic, moral, and legal controversies throughout the world. This discussion outlines the key consequences of file sharing among peers, friends, and family members.
File sharing refers to the distribution of digital messages among individuals. These messages may be in the form of songs, videos, video clips, images, graphics, or pictures. It is easy to share these messages through computers connected to networks, social sites, or using removable mass storage devices. People who share files consider a number of aspects that propel them to prefer this as a suitable alternative compared to purchasing the file from known vendors. The presence of these files on the internet enables peers, friends, and workmates to share them easily. Modern technology has simplified access to millions of information on the internet. This process involves basic stages as long as an individual has the domain name where he can retrieve the file (Wang 25). The presence of many search engines and notifications propel individuals to find it easy to access sites containing fascinating messages. Computers and internet connections are becoming cheaper courtesy of competition among computer manufacturers and internet service providers. This has led to the establishment of sites that provide shortcuts to accessing various files available on the internet.
Celebrities have found it convenient to gain popularity by allowing some of their products to be downloaded free of charge from various sites. They view this as the best way through which they can promote their popularity among the eager public. On the other hand, companies have come up with simplified access routes to their services by allowing free downloading and sharing of vital documents. This carefree provisions aim at promoting the popularity of such companies as an attempt of fighting their competitors. Celebrities have found it cheaper to gain popularity by allowing their fans to access their products without prior permission (Brains 22). Therefore, they are able to suppress upcoming competitors, and thus remain dominant in the market. On the same hand, companies have used file-sharing as an appropriate way of promoting their products by offering free downloads and sharing trial versions of their services to clients. Thirdly, file sharing is the cheapest way of accessing relevant information by people who can not afford them. In addition, the high costs of living have made it impossible for people to access quality services from the internet. The presence of sites that enable people to download and share various files from the internet offers relief to the less fortunate in society. Moreover, sharing files with friends and peers is cheaper compared to buying products from stores. Most companies would have found it extremely impossible to compete with other well-established companies in terms of advertisements and publicity. However, the presence of file-sharing provisions enables all companies to stand equal chances of competing for the limited market. File sharing enables individuals to evaluate products from various companies, and decide on the best option. Upcoming celebrities have had equal opportunities of marketing their products without fears of unhealthy competition from established celebrities. File sharing is the easiest way of introducing new products to new, and existing markets. People do not like to surf the internet or spend hours on the streets looking for new products. The presence of file sharing enables businessmen and consumers to be aware of new products in the market. File sharing simplifies the lengthy procedures of looking for new products by clients who like to be in line with modern trends.
However, file sharing is to blame for a number of woes that link this practice to a number of legal, economic, and ethical issues. File sharing is illegal in products that are protected by copyright acts. The provision of file sharing is illegal in many states, and individuals face fines and jail terms if they fail to observe copyright infringement laws. Despite the presence of many files in circulation among people worldwide, many people do not know the risks they expose to their businesses and personalities by sharing copy-protected files. However, the lack of strict laws to curb copyright infringement in many states has led people to believe that sharing files is not a criminal act. The public has taken advantage of these provisions, and downloaded and shared millions of files from the internet and other sources.
File sharing is an enormous blow to the government in terms of collecting revenue. Many products available for sale in the market have certain percentages of tax that the government uses to finance its projects. However, file sharing makes a collection of revenue by states to be extremely difficult. States are losing millions of financial resources through file-sharing that evades taxes imposed on various products. This reduces the amount of revenue a country generates from various trading activities. Therefore, it becomes difficult for states to make proper budgetary allocations to various projects due to unpredictable revenue collection. Moreover, this practice is among the many incentive killers in upcoming investments. Artists who invest their money, time, and talent singing or performing various theatrical shows find file-sharing an extremely retrogressive practice. Moreover, they find it to be difficult to continue investing resources in investments that do not reward them appropriately (Wang 88). File sharing makes people not buy original products from stores, but get them from their friends and peers. Most files that people share are those that are on the current trending list. Those out of the charts do not attract any attention since they are behind times, and inferior to others. This discriminates against quality services and products on offer by other celebrities. People overlook the work of other celebrities whose products do not appear among the chart list that shows the popularity of various products. Lastly, file sharing promotes laziness among people, since individuals can get any file from their friends on request, and they never bother to look for them elsewhere. Eventually, they become lazy and rely on their friends, and peers to look for these files.
Modern technology has enabled people to share millions of files over the internet daily. This practice continues to be complex as more technological advances continue to emerge. The debate on file sharing and copyright infringement will continue due to the differences in opinions of key players in aspects associated with digital media. The legality of file sharing needs to be defined clearly to enable people to know the freedoms and boundaries of file sharing.
File sharing refers to the distribution of digital messages among individuals. These messages may be in the form of songs, videos, video clips, images, graphics or pictures. It is easy to share these messages through computers connected to networks, social sites or using removable mass storage devices. People who share files consider a number of aspects that propel them to prefer this as a suitable alternative compared to purchasing the file from known vendors. The presence of these files in the internet enables peers, friends and workmates to share them easily. Modern technology has simplified access to millions of information on the internet. This process involves basic stages as long as an individual has the domain name where he can retrieve the file (Wang 25). The presence of many search engines and notifications propel individuals to find it easy to access sites containing fascinating messages. Computers and internet connections are becoming cheaper courtesy of competitions among computer manufacturers and internet service providers. This has led to the establishment of sites that provide short cuts to accessing various files available in the internet.
Celebrities have found it convenient to gain popularity through allowing some of their products to be downloaded free of charge from various sites. They view this as the best way through which they can promote their popularity among the eager public. On the other hand, companies have come up with simplified access routes to their services by allowing free downloading and sharing of vital documents. This carefree provisions aim at promoting the popularity of such companies as an attempt of fighting their competitors. Celebrities have found it cheaper to gain popularity through allowing their fans to access their products without prior permission (Brains 22). Therefore, they are able to suppress upcoming competitors, and thus remain dominant in the market. On the same hand, companies have used file sharing as an appropriate way of promoting their products by offering free downloads, and sharing of trial versions of their services to clients. Thirdly, file sharing is the cheapest way of accessing relevant information by people who can not afford them. In addition, the high costs of living have made it impossible for people to access quality services from the internet. The presence of sites that enable people to download and share various files from the internet offers relief to the less fortunate in society. Moreover, sharing files with friends and peers is cheaper compared to buying products from stores. Most companies would have found it extremely impossible to compete with other well established companies in terms of advertisements and publicity. However, the presence of file sharing provisions enables all companies to stand equal chances of competing for the limited market. File sharing enables individuals to evaluate products from various companies, and decide on the best option. Upcoming celebrities have had equal opportunities of marketing their products without fears of unhealthy competitions from established celebrities. File sharing is the easiest way of introducing new products to new, and existing markets. People do not like to surf the internet or spend hours on the streets looking for new products. The presence of file sharing enables businessmen and consumers to be aware of new products in the market. File sharing simplifies the lengthy procedures of looking for new products by clients who like to be in line with modern trends.
However, file sharing is to blame for a number of woes that link this practice to a number of legal, economic and ethical issues. File sharing is illegal in products that are protected by copyright acts. The provision of file sharing is illegal in many states, and individuals face fines and jail terms if they fail to observe copyright infringement laws. Despite the presence of many files in circulation among people world wide, many people do not know the risks they expose to their businesses and personalities by sharing copy protected files. However, lack of strict laws to curb copyright infringement in many states has led people to believe that sharing files is not a criminal act. The public has taken advantage of these provisions, and downloaded and shared millions of files from the internet and other sources.
File sharing is an enormous blow to the government in terms of collecting revenue. Many products available for sale in the market have certain percentages of tax that the government uses to finance its projects. However, file sharing makes collection of revenue by states to be extremely difficult. States are losing millions of financial resources through file sharing that evades taxes imposed on various products. This reduces the amount of revenue a country generates from various trading activities. Therefore, it becomes difficult for states to make proper budgetary allocations to various projects due to unpredictable revenue collection. Moreover, this practice is among the many incentive killers in upcoming investments. Artists who invest their money, time and talent singing or performing various theatrical shows find file sharing an extremely retrogressive practice. Moreover, they find it to be difficult to continue investing resources in investments that do not reward them appropriately (Wang 88). File sharing makes people not to buy original products from stores, but get them from their friends and peers. Most files that people share are those that are on the current trending list. Those out of the charts do not attract any attention since they are behind times, and inferior to others. This discriminates against quality services and products on offer by other celebrities. People overlook the work of other celebrities whose products do not appear among the chart list that shows the popularity of various products. Lastly, file sharing promotes laziness among people, since individuals can get any file from their friends on request, and they never bother to look for them elsewhere. Eventually, they become lazy, and rely on their friends, and peers to look for these files.
Modern technology has enabled people to share millions of files over the internet daily. This practice continues to be complex as more technological advances continue to emerge. The debate on file sharing and copyright infringement will continue due to the differences in opinions of key players in aspects associated with digital media. The legality of file sharing needs to be defined clearly to enable people to know the freedoms and boundaries of file sharing.
Works Cited
Brains, John. Steal this File Sharing Book: What They Won’t Tell You about File Sharing. California: No Starch Press, 2004. Print.
Fehily, Chris. Cancel Cable: How Internet Pirates Get Free Stuff. California: Questing Vole Press, 2011. Print.
Wang, Wallace. File Sharing. New York: Apogee, 2005. Print.