how likely is it to get a fine for illegal downloading of music on programs such as limewire, and Kazaa?
470169
It depends on where your downloading from. You are more likely to be caught if you're downloading off of a shared internet connection (ie: dorm internet, apartment internet, etc). The likelihood also goes up the longer you leave downloaded files in your shared folder. The least likely way to get caught is to bring your laptop to a wireless hot-spot and download using that.\n\nNow, on to the underlying ethical issue. Downloading music without paying is illegal. I'm not here to say it's wrong, but it is illegal. When you download illegally, you are stealing money from record labels, NOT artists. Don't use this as an excuse, but a reason. These record labels are stealing money from the artists. They give them a million dollar record deal but they charge them $990,000 to actually get the record made. In most contracts, the artists are charged for the studio time, instrument rental/purchase, the cost of manufacturing the CDs and Jewel Cases, promotional expenses, and a large number of incidental expenses. In the end, an artist may wind up owing money on an album that does platinum.\n\nI won't go out and say that I download these files, but if I did, these would be the reasons why. Personally, I just listen to the radio.
870458
Downloading music is illegal! If one wanted to break the law, Kazza, limewire, bearshare, would be the place, You didn't hear that from me!!!
822246
Well, first off, LimeWire can cause bandwith loss on the computer, and depending on what you are downloading, you could be using it to break the law.
1143072
Limewire, be carefull, it is illegal to download stuff.  if not go for limewire pro, it is not illegal.
94980
Why don't you try iTunes?  Or are you looking for illegal "free" music?
36397
Also be wary that the downloading of files of this nature is illegal.
730604
Its not that a program can prevent you, its your ISP that can report your illegal activities. There are many many P2P (peer-ro-peer) networks that allow you to download pirated material, but it is usually your ISP that will report your activities to the company that owns the material you are pirated. But sometimes the company files lawsuits against organizations that host the material.
219860
Limewire itself is not illegal, if used to share legal stuff.  You can't share copyrighted stuff legally without permission of the copyright holder.
680277
Limewire, it is illegal though.
64781
If you have a firewall and anti-virus program and you don't download suspicious files, you should be ok. If you don't have a firewall, Zone Alarm is a good one (a free version of it is also available if you don't want to spend any money). For a free anti-virus program, go to http://free.grisoft.com/\n\nIf you follow the simple tips above, you should be set in downloading music by using Limewire, or any other P2P client.
347278
the above answer is not completely true\n\notherwise, why would there be p2p programs at all?\n\n\nIf you want to share something you created completely on your own, you are free to do so.  But yes, sharing music and video files that you bought is illegal.  If caught, there can be some very stiff fines if not prosecutions & jail time.
610755
Limewire is a file-sharing program.  illegal, but many people still use it.\n\nMusic can be downloaded from it
357434
it is illegal and people are putting out a program that would "track" the computer that would download those illegal songs. So it is easy for someone to get in to trouble a lot easier.
456071
Well as the others say, yes, technically, in probably most cases, the music is will be copyrighted material and so it is illegal to take it for free, or indeed to give it out (share it) for free - without the copyright-holder's permission. Despite some high-profile cases where individuals have been, successfully of course, prosecuted by record companies for illegal filesharing, this is obviously a scare tactic by the record companies, and we are talking about a handful of individuals being prosecuted - out of, I imagine hundreds of millions of file-sharers - so the risk to you is really extremely small.\n\nAs regards what Mr. Edwards says about viruses, well I have to say it seems like he is anti-filesharing and therefore he would say that to put you off - although I may be wrong(?). In reality I would say, although he is right there are many viruses on filesharer's computers, the risk is no greater really than that associated with using the rest of the internet - I mean to put it in perspective, if you don't use filesharing because you're worried about downloading viruses through it then you shouldn't really use the internet either.\n\n**This is not to say of course that you shouldn't be careful** Take all the precautions that you do with the rest of the net - make sure you have proper anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware software and use it! Virus-scan your downloads - you'll find, handily that many popular filesharing software - this may help you choose - will have a setting in the options to *automatically* scan all incoming files using you installed anti-virus software.\n\nAnd if you do get a virus etc through filesharing, just bear in mind it could *equally* happened through email, browsing etc.\n\nRather an essay there but hope that helps!
555654
Try researching a bit of copyright law..\n\nIncidentally, not all music downloads are illegal, there's a great deal of live recordings available, and many bands and artists are all for this as it stops bootleggers making a profit.
510864
Courts ruled in Europe and in America that file-sharing software like Limewire is not in itself illegal - but downloading copyrighted material from those websites is. If you read the legal stuff on the Limewire page they will say that Limewire is totally legal - and it is, for Limewire. The average downloader who wants to get copyrighted music is still committing an illegal act and can be prosecuted....
1147810
Limewire is illegal under certain circumstances. I.E. When you download songs that don't have a license. But if you pay for the service (my friend says it costs a dollar a year), then it is legal. Most songs don't have a license so mostly everything you download will be illegal (I have never seen a legal download on it but there are some out there). But if you use it download your song(s) and then sign off as soon as your through that way it will be hard to track. Good luck!