Before & After, Copyright laws

My opinion on copyright laws have definitely changed just after a few classes! After learning the real definition of copyright infringement, I realized my first impression of copyrighting was very incorrect. In class we have studied several different cases in which people have stolen others work. At first, I did not think it was a big deal. For example, I thought that the artist of a song wouldn't care if someone downloaded their music for free on the Internet.Well, I thought wrong.

In class we looked at a website where several different artists wrote their opinion on copyright infringement and every single person was 100% against it. I never knew that by downloading illegal music on the Internet, not only does it not pay the artist, but it doesn't pay any of the people that helped produce the music/album! The artist might be rich, but the people who help aren't. So basically, when you download free illegal music it's like the people who helped with the album aren't getting paid! How would you like to devote hundreds of hours at work and not get paid?

There are ways to get around copyright infringement. This is called fair use. Anyone can access public domain or documents over 75 years old without it being considered plagiarising. Facts and common knowledge are also free to the public to use. You just have to be smart about what you do! Copyright infringement is easy to get around if you use your resources the right way.

After researching a few copyright infringement cases, I found one that fits the topic well. In 1966 the Isley Brothers recorded and released a song called, "Love is a Wonderful Thing". In 1991, Michael Bolton released a song with the same name, and several of the same lyrics. Hmm.. what does this sound like? Copyright Infringement! The Isley Brothers filed a suit on Michael Bolton for stealing their music, and they won. Michael Bolton had to pay the group 5.4 million dollars. Michael should have thought before he broke the law by plagiarizing. I think the punishment was fair. Michael Bolton was making tons of money off of The Isley Brothers hard work! Hopefully this case stops people in the future from plagiarizing.