Online Music Piracy: Are Lawsuits The Best Approach?

In the age of digital technology, perfect copies of sound recordings may be easily made and shared in violation of copyright law. Music piracy in the form of illegal downloading is a worldwide phenomenon that has a significant impact on the music industry. In response to the perceived threat to the music industry, lawsuits have been filed in the United States and abroad based on copyright infringement for illegally downloading music. This paper examines copyright law, case law, and recent litigation. In the wake of legal efforts to curtail illegal downloading, a survey of 112 undergraduate students was conducted in an effort to determine whether the lawsuits filed by the music industry are a deterrent to downloading music. Potential solutions are proposed and economic consequences discussed.