a peek inside the fishbowl

Awhile back I had a conversation with a young woman about her habit of downloading music without paying for it. She really didn’t think it was a big deal, after all, record companies make ZILLIONS of dollars right?

Hmm. Okaaaay. Maybe they’re the richest folks on the planet, but what about the writer of the song? How does illegally downloading a song affect that person? And how different is ripping a song of the Internet from pocketing a tube of lipgloss at the drugstore?

I don’t want to generalize but I’ve encountered way too many young people who don’t seem to understand that just because something is on the Internet, it doesn’t mean it’s there for the taking. I’ve also had to deal with this recently as it pertains to photography too, and as a person who creates content for a living, I am rather sensitive to the issue of people taking stuff that isn’t theirs. It’s wrong – and it’s stealing – no matter what kind of spin you put on it.

Anyway, yes. It’s been something I’ve been thinking a lot about, and it’s actually something that we talk a lot around here at Casa Fishbowl. You can read about how we’ve broached the topic over at MediaSmarts.ca this week.

I’d love to know if you have discussed copyright with your child. Like many issues that fall under the GENERAL LIFE EDUCATION category, it’s important to start those conversations when they’re little, because when they hit their teens, preaching, nagging, and finger wagging might fall on deaf ears. Sigh.

Related: Have you ever wondered if song writers can support themselves off of the royalties for one song? Well, here’s the answer you were looking for. And it’s pretty surprising.