After losing at one of multiple trials, another settlement offer arrived for $25,000.

The settlement offer was a whopping $5,000, which she could ill afford.

As reported by USA Today, a woman prosecuted for violating copyright on music did not agree to settle as most of those accused did. The cost of a download can be extremely highįurther, losing a lawsuit for illegally downloading music can be very expensive for the downloader. For every person who receives a free copy without permission, there is potentially one or more fewer sales of the copyright holder’s property because one who has a copy will no longer be a potential buyer. Sharing that music without permission from the holder of the copyright may also be a crime. In a nutshell, if a person downloads a song without paying for it, he or she likely has committed the crime of copyright infringement. The law of copyright protects that music, prohibiting people from copying and sharing the music without permission of those who have such an interest. However, the taking of this intellectual property may be illegal.Īs described by Webster University, many contributors to marketed pieces of music await sale of that product to receive payment for their efforts.

The practice seems so innocuous, certainly not like the internet fraud everyone hears about. At times, they then generously share the music with others. People download software, music, movies and more, often without paying a charge or receiving permission from the owner. Lawsuits and pre-suit settlements are occurring against the unwary or the reckless. There may be a lack of universal understanding among people in Louisiana and elsewhere of the nuances of copyright infringement.

Downloading Company of Crime