If you do not have legal permission, and you go ahead and copy or distribute copyrighted music anyway, you can be prosecuted in criminal court and/or sued for damages in civil court.
Criminal penalties can run up to 5 years in prison and/or $250,000 in fines, even if you didn’t do it for monetary or financial or commercial gain.
Having the hardware to make unauthorized music recordings doesn’t give you the right to steal.
June 29, 2005
Music United Coalition Launches Educational Campaigns To Keep Music Fans Legal When Downloading Music
June 29, 2005 (Washington, DC) – The Music United for Strong Internet Copyright (“Music United”) Coalition today launches two initiatives to help keep music fans safe and legal when downloading music on the Internet—one designed to reach millions of fans in cities across the country and the other a worldwide initiative to help parents initiate discussions with their children.
“At a time when national attention is drawn to the issue of music theft, more than ever before we as an industry have a unique opportunity to educate our fans and the public at large of the consequences of illegal downloading,” said Rick Carnes, President of the Songwriters Guild of America and Chairman of the Coalition’s Communication Subcommittee. “As a coalition we are delighted to take this message ‘to the street” nationwide and to dinner table conversations between parents and their kids across the globe.”
Music United today joins Childnet International in a worldwide educational campaign to help parents understand how to keep their children safe and legal when downloading music on the Internet. A new parental pamphlet, “Young People, Music and the Internet – a guide for parents about P2P, file-sharing and downloading,” will be distributed worldwide in the coming months and on websites including www.musicunited.org. Childnet International is leading the campaign with various partners in 18 countries worldwide.
The campaign responds to the increasing demand for clear information for parents about music and the Internet. “While the guide is mercifully free of technical jargon, it includes a wealth of information about how parents can help understand and influence their children’s choices when downloading music from the Internet,” said Carnes. The guide also outlines the security and legal risks to children and the family computer.
In addition, Music United unveiled the “Feed a Musician, Download Legally” advertisement campaign. The ads will appear on outdoor poster space in 11 major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, D.C., Philadelphia, Dallas, and Houston. The ads will be seen by millions of people daily, as the ads will be tacked to visible outdoor space such as metro stops and the sides of buildings undergoing renovations.
Representing virtually every segment of the music community, Music United is a coalition that comes together on broad industry concerns to address those issues that affect the individuals who bring music to life.
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Contact:
Rick Carnes