The document discusses issues around music piracy and file sharing. It outlines current piracy laws in Australia and Europe, including penalties for individuals and corporations. It discusses both the cons and pros of file sharing for the music industry. It also outlines government responses in Britain and France, which have implemented "three strikes" policies that can result in internet disconnection for repeat offenders.

1. By Cathy Lofthouse, Daniel Orellana & Samantha Gauci

2. Current Australian and Europe piracy laws (Samantha). The Rudd Government on music piracy Cons of file sharing in the music industry (Cathy). Pros of file sharing in the music industry (Daniel).

3. According to Music Industry Piracy Investigations (2010), penalties apply. Ranges from injunctions, damages and costs. $60,500 for individuals and $302,500 for corporations. On the spot fines of $1320 can also occur. Laws depend on both the country the site is located and the country from which the music downloaded.

4. The Rudd Government is considering a three-strike policy against downloading music illegally. The Government will examine new legislative proposals from Britain. However it will be hard to monitor everyone.

5. Britain and France became the first European countries to pass “graduated response” Britain’s Parliament passed a bill. Internet service providers are to send repeated warnings to customers illgegally downloading. Internet access suspended, for repeated offenders.

6. A similar law was passed in France. However after ‘three strikes’, legal action is taken. Internet access is cut off for upto 12 months and fined up to $407,500.

7. File- downloading had damaged legitimate sales Record sales have been dropping over the last couple of years. Many recording labels have either totally stopped releasing music or just stopped signing new artists. If record companies are not making enough money they see no reason to support new artists. They are only willing to sign up pop stars who will make them big cash and have commercial success. If record artists stop signing more and more artists, the result is going to be fewer new acts meaning less diversity of the music being put out there

8. Recording artists cannot compete against free Free music is a lot more attractive to the public then paying for a CD. Creativity is going to suffer because no one would be willing to take the risk of pursuing a music career. If they don’t get paid for their efforts why should they take the risks

9. Lots of music is being incorrectly labelled on the file sharing websites This is heart breaking for artists. The music they have put their heart and sole into and that they have created is being destroyed online. File sharing is making it impossible for new artists to get a record deal and struggling artists are losing out File sharing could in principle be a good way of promoting unknown artists, but nearly all the music that is shared and downloaded is highly commercial.

10. Due to lack of sales, prices of good will need to be raised This will means that the people doing the right thing by buying CDs and going to have to pay more to make up for all the people downloading music. This means that maybe these people will start looking for cheaper ways of finding music and start download as well

11. The music industry is not falling behind They have come up with legitimate online music stores including I tunes and napster 2.0. This is where people can download good quality music at a cheap price)

12. http://www.musicunited.org/14_Videos.html This clip shows us that file sharing is illegal. Recording artists put a lot of work into a cd. These clips are important to get the message out to the people. If the industry did not enforce copyright, the perception would be that stealing is ok)

13. LARS ULRICH – METALLICA “ We have many issues with Napster. First and foremost: Napster hijacked our music without asking” Metallic were one of the first bands to sue people for copyright infringement and attracted scorn from internet users for helping shut up the popular downloading tool Napster. Lars went to Napster’s headquarters in 2000 with a list of 335,000 people who had illegally downloaded their songs, and demanded the company black the users

14. LILY ALLEN “ "I think music piracy is having a dangerous effect on British music” (Lily Allen is against file sharing. She believes that it is destroying new artists because they can’t survive without the CD sales. Now she isn’t totally against music on the internet. She believes in samplers where fans can listen to a song and see if they like it. If they do like something they hear she wants them to go out and purchase the CD)

15. Adrian Crosstick 2010, Australian Policy Online, viewed 1 May 2010, http://www.apo.org.au/research/ok-computer-file-sharing-music-industry-and-why-we-need-pirate-party Channel 4 News 2009, Art & Entertainment, viewed 1 May, 2010, http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/music/lily+allen+attacks+filesharing+stars+/3345847 Gilmore, H & Armstrong, K 2008, Hearld Sun, viewed 1 May, 2010, http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/02/16/1202760662778.html Idea 2010, International debate education association, viewed 1 May, 2010, < http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:File-sharing > Music Industry Piracy Investigations 2010, Music Industry Piracy Investigations, Sydney, viewed 18 April 2010, http://www.mipi.com.au/Penalties-for-piracy.html

16. MusicUnited.org, viewed 1 May, 2010, http://www.musicunited.org/3_artists.html Nate Anderson 2006, Ars Technica, viewed 1 May, 2010, < http://arstechnica.com/site/about-ars-technica.ars > Sonne, P & Colchester, M 2010, ‘France, the U.K take aim at digital pirates’, The Wall Street Journal, 15 April, viewed 16 April 2010, retrieved from Factiva database. The British Recorded Music Industry 2010, The British Recorded Music Industry, Brittan, viewed 19 April 2010, http://www.bpi.co.uk/press-area/news-amp3b-press-release/article/bpi-heralds-landmark-digital-economy-act.aspx