Free Stuff Network

How do people get caught downloading free music?

There has been alot of publicity lately on people getting fined for downloading free music. Should people that have used programs such as Kazaa or Napster completely delete the program off there computer or is the damage already done even if they have quit using it?

Public Comments

1. the feds and other people can trace your IP address, then get your address when you download music illegally then there's usually a cache on the drive with incriminating evidence on it used in court
2. They get caught OFFERING music, NOT downloading it!!! No one can check on you downloading anything, but they can put out requests for music (just as you do to get something!), and then if they get your computer doing that, they have your handle.
3. The people who are getting fined, so far, are college students. And Heinz is wrong, they weren't uploading music, they were downloading hundreds of musical selections from Limewire, Bearshare, etc. And the ones taking them to court is the RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America. They are not only going after the most flagrant downloaders, but the P2P networks that make copyrighted music available. If you can't tell whether the music you download is copyrighted or not, then you should leave it alone.
4. Lucee is right. One thing to keep in mind is that your ISP can view all of your network traffic. Peer to peer traffic is easily recognized, so they know exactly what you're doing. Some ISPs will terminate your service for lots of P2P use, and some have reportedly turned their users in for it. You can be caught even if you only download. All they have to do is set up a computer and share a file, and if you connect to it then they have your IP. From there they contact your ISP for information on your account, such as name and address, which is used to file a lawsuit against you. The damage is potentially already done, although continued use just increases the chances of getting caught, and the music files on your hard drive are the evidence against you. As long as you have those files, they are pretty much the same as having stolen property in your home.