Dangerous Downloads

If you're a music lover than you already know finding music online is a great way to expand your horizons. There are thousands of ways to discover new talent, learn more about the artists you already love, and keep up with the changing face of music. No longer do you have to wait for the new CD to hit stores to find out what your favorite band is up to. Most artists release their new music online before it ever makes it to the record store.

In recent years there's been a lot of controversy about music online, mainly centered on pirating music. When someone pirates music, they are downloading or otherwise distributing music without paying for it. When people pirate music it means the artist doesn't receive the money they are entitled to. Not only can pirating music get you into a lot of trouble, it can also really hurt the artists you are trying to support. A large portion of any artist's income is from the sales of records, or in the case of online music, the sales of downloads. When that artist is bypassed, they could potentially lose a great deal of money that keeps them in the business of making music. According to the music industry leaders, millions are being lost every year to illegal downloads. Several lawsuits have been filed against individuals who illegally download music, so it's just not worth the risk to yourself or your favorite artist.

There are other dangers you should be cautious of when you listen to or download music online. Searching, listening to, and downloading music from reputable sites are a great way to find new artists or to hear songs from your favorite artist you might not have ever heard before. The danger occurs when you choose to search for music on websites you're not familiar with. File sharing websites have a large database of music to choose from, because they pull files from other computers to share with the site's community. When you download files from such websites, it's difficult to tell if they might be infected with dangerous viruses for your computer. You can cause damage to your computer and even jeopardize your personal data by allowing anyone else access to your computer.

When you purchase music online always be sure you are purchasing from a reputable source. Purchasing from an unknown website could result in music that wasn't what you thought it would be. Additionally, when you give your credit card information to a source you aren't familiar with, you run the risk of identity theft. If you do choose to purchase music from a source you don't know, always use a secured third party to make the payment so you don't expose your credit card information to someone you don't know and trust.

The ability to find, listen to, and download music online is a great advancement in the music industry. Fans can readily find music, download it, and take it with them anywhere. Music is more affordable one song at a time than buying the entire album. There are risks in downloading music online, just like any other online purchase. Always do your research and buy from reputable sites. If you want to keep music online the way it is, follow the rules and protect the music you love.

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