The Napster Controversy

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Business > Industries
Law

A discussion on the controversy that file sharing program, Napster created and the new generation of music sharing methods that ensued.

1,206 words () | 5 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the Napster company which was launched in 1999 by freshman Shawn Fanning. Napster was later shut down in 2001 due to violations of copyright laws. The author gives a brief description of the creation of Napster and explains why, revolutionary at that point of time, Napster changed the face of the entertainment industry forever. The paper also discusses the controversy of whether or not file sharing programs such as Napster are fully violating copyright laws and cause the decline of sales in the entertainment industry.

From the Paper:

"In their own defense, Napster claimed that it did not make or sell illegal copies of music, but allowed people to communicate with one another and share information. But the loss of Napster did not stop the music sharing idea; however, it opened the door to a new world of new music sharing programs and methods. Many programmers, such as the ones who developed KazaA and Morpheus, learned from Napster's mistakes and still run the piracy hub on the internet. As a result, a controversy occurred of whether or not Napster and other music sharing programs are the prime reason why music sales have decline in recent years and are fully violating copyright laws. While these events have occurred, it is inaccurate to state that Napster and other piracy programs are solely responsible."

Sample of Sources Used:

Burkart, Patrick, and Tom McCourt. Digital Music Wars : Ownership and Control of the Celestial Jukebox. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, Incorporated, 2006.
Grossman, Lev. "It's All Free!" Time 5 May 2003: 60-68.
Jones, Christopher. "Metallica Rips Napster." Wired Apr. 2000. Wired. 13 Apr. 2000. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2000/04/35670>.
Menn, Joseph. All The Rave: The Rise and Fall of Shawn Fanning's Napster. New York: Crown Business, 2003.
Vogelstein, Fred. "Is it Sharing or Stealing?" U.S. News and World Report 12 June 2000: 38