Opinions: Please don't stop the music

 by Michael Pelton
 published on Thursday, April 17, 2008

I have a friend … let's call him "Bob."

Many years ago, Bob walked into a record store to purchase Blink-182's "Enema of the State" album. That was the last time that I — I mean Bob — ever bought a CD.
Welcome to the world of illegal downloading.

No, this isn't another article about Napster or Limewire and how to cheat the system. This article is about something that actually could happen to you — or at least 33 of you.

As of late last year, the Recording Industry Association of America had notified 33 members of the ASU community — students and staff — that they would be taken to court for illegal downloading if they did not settle within 20 days.

And they are back at it again. So wouldn't the smart thing be to just settle?

Well, duh, until you realize that the average settling price is around $4,000 — if you pay up within a month. Oh, and each song could potentially burn a $750 hole in your pocket. No, this isn't an easy COM 100 class: it's real life.

Bob downloaded illegally, until he saw this wave of fines and the influx of notices to ASU students. In fact, I found out that ASU is 24th in the nation in RIAA notices sent out per year, coming in with 336.

Now, I know what you're thinking. There are so many students here, and you are just one person. Why wouldn't you take that risk? All of you are just like me, the disgruntled music fan who enjoys maybe three songs on a CD that requires you to pay for all 12. Is that worth the 20 bucks?

No, of course not.

My recommendation to you would be to use iTunes. No, this is not a plug for Apple — just a warning to you. Maybe it's because I am in the field of journalism that I know how serious the RIAA can, and will, take matters like this. Maybe it's because I finally realized that I barely have enough money for alcohol — I mean food — which makes the risk of having to pay thousands of dollars for songs just not worth it.

The RIAA is working with ASU to find out the identities of several IP addresses. Now, releasing those names to the RIAA may be a hot topic for another article, but the point here is that they are watching, and they are watching close.

For those of you who don't know, downloading music illegally is … illegal. When you use sites such as Limewire, you share music with other people and they share with you. Remember, people, sharing is caring.

Well, when you leave your share file open, it lets everyone in the world know what you have and what you're willing to do with it. And there is always the chance that you could download a file that really isn't a song, but a trick to catch you.

Is it worth it?

I know, just like most of you, that the odds of getting caught aren't that great. But I bet you anything that the people who have, and will be, caught think a little differently now. That is a choice I — again, I mean Bob — made a long time ago. Pay a dollar for that song you really like online, buy the CD or listen to the radio.

A couple of bucks for a few songs legally downloaded seems like a lot until you're fined $750 a song. Oh, and make sure to multiply that by however many hundreds of songs you probably have.

Mike can be reached by e-mail at: michael.pelton@asu.edu.