Upload, Download & Share copyright protected contents may land you in Jail

There are so many good ways in accessing the music or the songs of your favorate artisit both safely & legally online. This special guide aims to keep all the parents, the teachers & all the young people well informed on how to stay safe & legal while enjoying entertainment over the internet or on a mobile device.

Did you know?

Usage of illegal websites & the file sharing programmes & websites can be risky using such illegal file-sharing programmes put users to the risk of dangrous content's like viruses, pornography & even violent images. Some File-sharing software's can also compromise your privacy and security by opening your computer & sharing the data stored in your PC with the outside world.

You could be breaking the law and might face consequences 

The Copyright law applies to all kinds of downloading, sharing and streaming musicis same as in the case of physical CDs & DVDs. For example If you make a copyrighted music available to others people in a file-sharing network, or even sell the copies without the written permission of those who own's the copyright of it, then there is no doubt you are breaking the law & you could face serious penalties. Downloading music from a file-sharing network is also considered as illegal in most countries.

Recently sites like Megaupload and RnBXclusive has been shutdown by SOCA because they voilated the copyright laws and not only the owners where arrested and the people who downloaded the contents from these type of website will face very seroius action according to the law.

Using legal sites will help to get rewards to its creators for their work 

Copyright laws protect artists, musicians, producers and all the people who work in the music industry. This allows them to be rewarded fairly and to continue creating and producing good music.

Where are the best legal sites to find music?

There is a huge list of legal sites where you can download or even stream music. There are around more than 400 legal website services available worldwide, offering more than 13 million tracks at a good price. Some are stores where you can buy downloaded tracks and albums to play in your computer, a portable device like ipod, MP3 player. Some charge a monthly subscription fee and let you stream from an internet-connected device at any time you want. Some services provide music for free,which is supported by advertising

A website called pro-music offers a wide list of legal website where music can be downloaded for that visit the link and select your region.This is a comprehensive information resource about digital music.

Is it OK to copy or rip music from a CD or DVD to my computer or media player?

Making a digital copy of a CD or DVD you own for your personal use can generally be done without legal consequences. However, distributing a digital copy over the internet or to a friend or relative is very different and will result in legal action. For the music purchased online, legal music download services generally allow you to make a copy as a backup for your own use on other devices.

Is it legal to make a copy of streamed music?

It is not . Legal streaming services will give you instant access to the tracks, films and videos, often for free, but they do not usually allow you to “rip” the content to make a permanent copy of your own.

Is it always illegal to use file-sharing websites and services?

It is illegal to upload (and in most countries to download) copyrighted files without the permission from the person who owns the rights of a file.File-sharing services in theory it can be used legally, but when it come to practice it is nearly all the content on them is illegal. If they are the sites which are not clearly licensed by the copyright owners, then the only safest way to use them legally is to make sure that you are sharing materials that are not protected by someone else’s copyright - such as music you create yourself.

How are people who illegally file-share found out?

Generally, the file-sharing illegally do so on public networks. Each and Every device that is connected to the internet is assigned usually by their internet service provider a unique number known as an IP address. Details of this unique number as well as data showing the material used illegally are either clearly visible on or can be easily obtained from such services. In general,the customer details can be obtained from the ISP through the law enforcement or a civil court order. The copyright owner can then take legal action against the infringers.

Does paying for my music guarantee that it is legal?

There are websites, in some countries with poor enforcement of copyright laws, which sell tracks and albums very cheaply because they are doing so illegally without paying the owners of the rights. To help you stick with legal websites visit www.pro-music.org for links to legal music services.

Is it legal to download music from blogs?

In some cases, entertainment is made available legally from blogs. However, links from blogs to the music stored in online storage services – called ‘cyberlockers’ – are generally not legal. In almost all cases it won’t be legal to download a song offered for download via a link to a cyberlocker[A service for storing large quantities of files on the internet. Frequently used for sharing music, film and TV illegally].

Are there penalties for illegally sharing music and other entertainment on the internet?

Yes there is potentially very serious penalties for those who illegally sharing music, videos ,photos, text and file's. This is covered by civil law, criminal law, or both, depending on where it is happening. People illegally file-swapping could find themselves facing legal action leading to penalties such as damages.

Apart from copyright what are the other risks involved in the illegal downloading of music?

Illegal file-sharing programmes & websites pose greater risks to your computer or cell phone than legitimate sites. Alongside media files, users often unwittingly download viruses and spyware.They can also inadvertently share personal computer files, containing financial information, with other users, potentially putting themselves at risk from identity theft. Also some files are purposefully misnamed on file-sharing and peer-to-peer networks to trick people into downloading them.Installing Filtering tools that can block offensive content on websites are not effective when these illegal services are used, leaving children at risk of exposure to unsuitable or harmful content.Some peer-to-peer software lets users “chat” with other file-sharers, most of them strangers. For guidance about chatting on the internet see Childnet’s www.chatdanger.com website.

Where can I get more information about the security risks of illegal file-sharing?

Your ISP can give advice about the effects of using illegal file-sharing programmes over the internet. There have been many examples of computers becoming infected with viruses, malware and spyware after people have used P2P networks for music file-sharing. Many ISPs provide software that can protect people against such risks.

How can I prevent my internet connection being used for illegal file-sharing?

There are some basic steps you should take. Your ISP should provide information on how to protect your WiFi connection, including details on how a password can be set up to limit access to your connection. Parental controls on software systems can also be activated to block access to specific websites. It’s also a good idea to make simple rules for whoever is using your computer and your network,so they don’t upload or download illegally the copyright protected contents.

Tips for parents and teachers

Parents :  

• Talk with children about computer use 
• Are you aware of how your children are using the computer to access music?
• Talk to them so that they understand why it’s important to use legal sites online. Using legal sites helps to ensurethat everyone who works to make a song is paid fairly for their work. It’s also worth discussing with them what the consequences would be for the whole family if they were caught breaking the law.
• Check your computer and wireless connection
• Are you aware of what is on the family computer? 
• Make sure it is protected against viruses and spyware. Ensure your wireless connection is secure with a password and encryption (such as WPA). Talk to your family about what they do online, and decide what protections are best placed to meet the needs of the users in your home.

Teachers :

• Debate with your students How do they access music and what does it mean to them?
• How do people who create music get paid? 
• What part does copyright play in the creation of music and in the different jobs in the creative industries? 
• What do they think of all the legal online services on offer? 
• Teaching about music in the classroom If you want to make sure that you are using music legally in school then check an online resource such as www.licensing-copyright.org.Many countries have exceptions in their laws that allow educational institutions to make certain uses of copyrighted music in the classroom for teaching purposes.

Check out resources on copyright at www.childnet.com/kia/toolkit/.

This guide has been written by children’s charity Childnet International, with support from organisations representing creators and producers in the music industry.

Source :  pro-music, www.childnet.com, www.kidsmart.org.uk, www.digizen.org