music piracy – The Commonplace Notebook

Music Piracy: The “Justified” Sin—and How to Avoid It

NOTE: I wrote a similar essay back in 2014, but this article focuses on both the ethics and practical solutions to the issue and was originally written for a Church magazine audience. After my internship ended, I never got around to submitting it and have instead decided to publish it here!

Musical Piracy: The Justified Sin

We’ve all heard the cheesy slogans and redundant warnings: “You wouldn’t steal a purse”; “Piracy is not a victimless crime”; “Illegal copying or distribution of this film is punishable by up to 5 years in prison or a $250,000 fine.”