How much would you pay for that Carrie Underwood1 single? One dollar? Two? How about more than $200,000?
Many people illegally download songs. Currently, people in 7.8 million homes have used file-sharing programs to download music. But downloading music without paying for the songs is stealing. Until recently, people got away with2 it. In October 2007, the recording industry sued Jammie Thomas, 30, from Minnesota, for illegally downloading 24 songs. The recording industry won, and Thomas was ordered to pay $222,000.
Should people be forced to pay huge fines or even be arrested for illegally downloading music? Some say yes. When songs are downloaded illegally, the artist does not receive payment for his or her work. “The case does send a message, I hope, that downloading... is not OK,” says Richard Gabriel, a lawyer for the music companies.
Others believe that regular people should not be forced to pay such large fines. Most people cannot afford the fines. In addition, hackers can use people’s screen names without their knowledge. “My client didn’t do it,” said Brian Toder, Thomas’s lawyer. “Someone used her name.”
Sound off3. Should people be fined for illegally downloading music?
YES! People should be fined for illegally downloading music.
●People should not do things that are illegal, even if it seems as if everyone is doing it.
●Illegally downloading songs takes away money from the artists.
●If people know there is a punishment, they will be less likely to break the law.
No! People should not be fined for illegally downloading music.
●Some people don’t realize the songs they are downloading are copyrighted. The music companies should make the songs impossible to play if they don’t want people to download them.
●If someone’s computer is set up for file sharing, other people can download music without the person’s knowledge. He or she should not have to pay a fine.
●Someone can download music under another person’s screen name.
你会为凯莉·安德伍德的一首单曲花多少钱？一美元？两美元? 如果超过20万美元呢？
很多人非法下载歌曲。如今，780万户家庭的成员在使用文件共享程序下载音乐。但是下载音乐不付费无异于偷窃。直到最近，人们还都侥幸躲过追究。2007年10月，唱片公司起诉明尼苏达州30岁的吉米·托马斯，罪名是非法下载了24首歌曲。最终唱片公司胜诉，托马斯被判赔付22万2千美元。
人们应该因非法下载音乐被判巨额赔款甚至锒铛入狱吗？有人赞同。一旦有人非法下载音乐，艺术家们就无法从自己的作品中获得报酬。“这起案件在向大众传递一个信息，我希望是，下载……并不合适。”音乐公司的律师理查德·加百利说道。
其他人则坚信普通大众不应被强制赔偿巨额罚金。大多数人无力承担这样的罚金。除此之外，黑客也可以在用户不知情的情况下盗用别人的用户名。“我的当事人并没有非法下载，”托马斯的律师布莱恩·托德解释道，“只是有人盗用了他的名字。”
非法下载歌曲该被罚款吗？来各抒己见吧。
支持！非法下载音乐该被罚款。
●人们不应做违法的事，即使看上去大家都在这么做。
●非法下载歌曲是从艺人那里抢钱。
●如果人们知道这种行为会受到惩罚，他们也许不大会去触犯法律。
反对！非法下载音乐不应被罚。
●有些人没意识到他们下载的歌曲是受版权保护的。音乐公司如果不想让人们下载那些音乐，就该把它们设置成无法播放。
●如果有些人的电脑设置成文件共享，那么其他人就可以在该用户不知情的情况下下载音乐。该用户不该被罚款。
●有些人可以盗用他人用户名下载音乐。
1. 凯莉·安德伍德，歌手，2005年第四届“美国偶像”冠军。
2. get away with 逃避惩罚
3. sound off 明确而大胆地说出