Protection From Piracy

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, Read all of the required resources for this week. Review the instructions below and research a minimum of five additional peer-reviewed and/or scholarly sources in the UAGC Library that were published within the last 10 years to help support your statements. Be sure to include a reference list for your sources at the end of your post in APA format as outlined by the UAGC Writing Center (attachment provided).

In the last 15-20 years, internet piracy or “file sharing” of copyrighted material has gained significant popularity. It is a topic that has regularly sparked debate and has received international attention. While many people agree that file sharing is unethical and consider piracy to be equivalent to theft, others support file sharing and claim that their actions are ethical and justified.

From a professional, evidence-based perspective, address the following issues supporting your statements with evidence from your researched sources.

Explain the impact of legal and illegal downloading of music on the financial performance of record companies.
Evaluate whether or not it is ethical to download copyrighted music for free.
Analyze the motivations of otherwise ethical people who take advantage of free downloads of copyrighted materials.
Explain the appropriate role of colleges and universities in addressing file-sharing amongst their students.
Evaluate whether or not it is ethical for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to sue random copyright violators in an effort to instill fear in all violators.