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Just thought I'd chime in on the music thread going on. Yes, downloading MP3 files is wrong, because you're consuming copyrighted material without properly compensating the owner of the copyright. We use our understanding of real property to help understand property rights and ownership of (digital) information, but in my opinion it's a weak analogy. The primary difference is that multiple parties can technically possess (and use) information without infringing on the value to or rights of others to consume the same information. Let's consider the case of George Hotelling , who bought a song on Apple's ITunes and then proceeded to resell it on EBay . No one would argue that this is fair use if he were selling a CD he bought somewhere. The bundle of rights you get by purchasing a CD includes the right to sell or gift the CD.. But, as discussed in an excerpt from the article: Under the "first sale" doctrine, the owner of a lawful copy of a work is allowed to sell it without the permission...
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