| Broadband Internet service has the effect of | | | | across the Internet. The entertainment companies |
| seriously broadening one's world. It's incredibly fast | | | | dedicate a lot of time and effort into fighting this |
| and, considering that the vast majority of | | | | and doing so, even by accident, can get a user |
| information on the Internet is simply text, one | | | | into a lot of trouble. |
| can do an incredible amount of research into any | | | | It is always illegal to upload any recorded material |
| given topic in a very short amount of time. Of | | | | in its entirety any site. Remember that this applies |
| course, there is a great deal of video and audio | | | | to anything copyrighted. Even though most of it |
| content available online, as well. Not all of this | | | | will be movies and albums, uploading the digitized |
| content is legitimate and, to avoid running afoul of | | | | version of a book is just as illegal as uploading a |
| the law, one must understand a few basic things | | | | movie. When a user buys a product such as a |
| so that they can differentiate the legal from the | | | | movie or an audio recording, they do not own it |
| pirated. | | | | outright. They own a license. Part of the terms of |
| Video sharing sites oftentimes have material | | | | the license requires that the material will not be |
| which may have been uploaded by people who | | | | duplicated or sold and violating this license can get |
| ripped it from a television recording or directly | | | | the user in a lot of trouble. |
| from a DVD. While this material is available for a | | | | There are many legitimate ways to get free |
| given amount of time, it is most often quickly | | | | entertainment online. Some bands offer tracks |
| removed due to copyright infringement. When | | | | from their albums on social networking sites. |
| sharing any video or audio online, remember that | | | | Some bands have even combated piracy by |
| it's always best to avoid uploading anything of a | | | | allowing their fans to set their own price for |
| commercial origin. This means music, film clips, | | | | purchasing an album. While stealing is always |
| television clips and so forth. Many users | | | | wrong and, make no bones about it, piracy is |
| inadvertently steer right into pirate waters and | | | | simply stealing just as running into the video store |
| get themselves in trouble doing so. | | | | and pilfering a DVD would be stealing, many |
| Downloading is the next hazard. While | | | | entertainment companies have begun making free |
| peer-to-peer file sharing is a hugely-useful and | | | | offerings as an enticement. Many television |
| worthwhile technology, it is also the area where | | | | programs also have all of their episodes online, as |
| the most illegal activity is found. Remember that | | | | well. Be sure to look for these legitimate sites. Not |
| there are different laws that apply when sharing | | | | only are they safer and legal, they also offer |
| information online. It is definitely illegal to make a | | | | much better quality than do pirate versions of |
| friend a "mix" of songs and to offer it to them | | | | movies and television shows. |