What are file sharing networks?
File sharing networks (more accurately “peer-to-peer file sharing services”) make it easy for people who might not know each other to find and share files over the internet (including music files). Examples include Kazaa, Gnutella, Grokster, and Morpheus. The main issue to be concerned about if you decide to use these programs is that you can easily download copyrighted material illegally. And while a federal appeals court recently ruled that the services themselves can’t be held liable, individuals who illegally share copyrighted material can still be in trouble – recording companies have thus far sued over 3,400 illegal file swappers. For a nearly complete listing and review of these services, check out: http://www.webtechgeek.com/Mp3-File-Sharing-Programs.