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Downloading music

Contrary to what a lot of people think, we’re not anonymous when we’re online – in fact, it’s possible for some companies and organisations to trace many of our online activities via our computer’s IP addresses. Companies that provide customers with their internet connections can work out what files their customers have been downloading.

Whilst many argue about what’s right and acceptable and what’s not in terms of sharing music between friends, it’s very clear that it’s illegal to download music from illegal or unlicensed websites – to upload or download music from, for example, peer-to-peer file swap networks.

Downloading illegal music has a real down side and some dangers:

• there are lots of viruses and other dodgy software on peer-to peer networks that are hidden as music files. You could make your computer vulnerable to hackers if it gets a virus.
• You could be sued by a record company for damages.
• By not paying for music legally, you are stopping money going to the development of new bands.

• Recently, some internet provider companies (ISPs) have been writing to customers who have downloaded illegal music to warn them that they might have their internet connections cut off if they continue.

The safest bet is to only download music from legal music downloading sites such as Amazon, HMV, Play.com, etc. It’s also safe to use sites such as Last.fm that allow you to stream music and listen to it on your computer as though you’re listening to your very own radio station.

Links and Contact Details

Name: BBC Newsbeat – Technology Pages
Web: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/default.stm
Info: BBC Newsbeat – Technology Pages – with articles on downloading music.

Other Links

http://www.nme.com – news, reviews, info.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/ – download itunes for free.
http://www.mtv.co.uk/music/new-music – news, reviews, info.
http://pitchfork.com – news, reviews, info.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/
http://last.fm – loads of music to stream, all free and legal.
http://www.spotify.com – loads of music to stream, all free and legal.

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