Preventing Illegally Downloading by Blocking Sites as the Pirate Bay

Preventing illegally downloading by blocking sites as The Pirate Bay

One of the most popular site for illegal downloads is The Pirate Bay. When I try to access the site on my laptop, whose internet is provided by Ziggo, it says that the site is blocked. However if I take my iPhone, which uses the network of T-mobile, I am still able to reach The Pirate Bay. In the Netherlands, and in a lot of other countries, illegally downloading is a highly discussed subject with a lot of different views. As you can see with The Pirate Bay there aren't clear rules about blocking the side and thus blocking illegally downloading or not. The Pirate Bay offers a lot of media for free and especially people in the music industry are concerned about this service. They argue that these downloading sites ruin the business. Although artists are affected by sites for illegal downloads, the sites should remain accessible for everyone.

First of all it is clear that illegal downloading affects the income of artists in a negative way, because the artists make less money by selling music. The choice for a lot of people is easy, why should you buy something which you can get for free on the internet. Because of the lower incomes some artists can decide to not enter the music business and some good music will never be made. Both negative effects of the illegal downloads damages the music industry.

Secondly the number of people who download media illegal from the internet grows. If their were just a few people who would use the option to steal media by downloading then it would not be a big issue. The problem is that illegal downloading is an increasing phenomena and it will most probably grow even more and more in the future. Besides that it the group of illegal downloaders grows, illegally downloading has also become socially accepted. It isn't seen as wrong behavior.

On the other hand shutting down sites, which make it possible for people to illegally download, are big signs of censorship on the internet. Internet users be free in what sites they want to attend and which content they want to download to their computer. They should not be monitored by their provider and be blocked whenever they visit a site the government don't want them to visit. Shutting down sites which provide illegal content can be the first step in censoring everything the government views as not appropriate. Internet control such as in China could be the result in the end. The internet is seen as a place of freedom, but with rules for which files can be shared and which not, the internet will lose its status as a free place.

Another reason, which isn't in favor of illegally downloading, but should be taken into consideration when talking about shutting down sites for illegally downloading, is the fact that it is almost impossible to block all these download sites the internet