Federal copyright code is one of the cheapest apps available for legal research and reference. For a buck ninety-nine, you can read it without infringement. Purchasing music online is similarly easy and comparatively inexpensive, making piracy less excusable.
You may disassociate music with the media it comes on. Unlike vinyl, cassette tape, and 8-track, digital media copy very well, making downloading feel like a normal function. Piracy is easy, but it is still stealing.
The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra paired with heavy metal rock band, Metallica, in 1999. In 2000, Metallica paired with the Supreme Court to put Napster out of business. Metallica continues to rock on, receiving two Grammy’s in 2009, while Napster discontinued service eight years ago.
If you steal a CD from Wal-Mart, you are going to get arrested. If you download, you could get sued. You get caught quicker stealing from a store, but either way, it is morally wrong and criminal. If you like the music, support the musician by purchasing the song or CD.
With iTunes, you do not have to buy the whole CD. You can buy a single song without purchasing 12 songs you do not want, plus you do not have to go to the store, or pay for shipping and handling. Buying music has never been easier!
And by the way, the Constitution of the United States is at your fingertips as a free app on your iPhone, but paying for an attorney to interpret it…that is another matter.