Sem 083: Ethics in Cyberspace

Assignment #5: Share and Share Alike

Napster may be the best known example of a computer practice called peer-to-peer file sharing, but there are many examples of ways in which individual owners of networked computers pool computing resources for mutual benefit. For backround, read several sections of the document, "A New Computing Model for the Internet" ó Chapter 1 from David Barkai's book, Peer to Peer Computing (Intel Press) including these: To find out how peer-to-peer file sharing is seen in light of copyright law, read the summary as well as the more complete form of the article, Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Copyright Law after Napster.

Read about some current strategies in use by copyright holders to block music file swapping in


Questions to ponder:

  1. In what ways might you defend the exchange of MP3 files under "fair use" guidelines? What are the meanings of "contributory infringement" and "vicarious infringement"? If asked to argue in behalf of a the defense termed "capable of substantial noninfringing usesî what are some of the significant noninfringing uses of peer-to-peer file sharing software?
  2. What is your reaction to the copyright protection strategies in current practice by copyright holders? What position would you take on these strategies if you were an excutive at a major record label? What position would you take if you were an artist who'd just signed a first contract with a major record label? What position would you take if you were a member of Congress with an interest in championing the early copyright ideals of 1) assuring the dissemination of ideas and 2) enriching the "Intellectual Commons"


jwl, 10/17/01