If you're anything like me, and chances are you're not, you'll have read about 'new' moves by the MPAA and RIAA to quash internet file sharing. Specifically targeting the software developers of file sharing applications.

Using the argument that the MPAA and RIAA have about protecting the material created by artists, this alone is a blatant contradiction. Music and Film warrants protection, but if you make software you're liable to have your work declared illegal? Or is the argument about the end user? That's not the impression I get from the RIAA and MPAA, they're always talking about original content, hard work etc.

Here's one example of the way I use 'illegal' file sharing

Another gripe I have is that it's illegal for me to download episodes of The Shield. I don't know anyone who likes The Shield more than I do, I bought the first 2 seasons off of Play and have watched them time and time again.

I watched Season 3 on TV, through Channel 5's changing of air days and everything, although I did manage to miss a few episodes, so I downloaded them, not waiting for repeats - it's difficult enough to catch the first run. I ended up downloading the entire season, and watched them a few times. I would happily have paid for the episodes to download over the internet but given no other option I downloaded them 'illegally'. I have a pretty unique DVD player, with features for which I picked it. It can play downloaded media, specifically .avi files, which as a rule are DVD quality, at a fraction of the file size. I had all of Season 3 on DVD's in .avi format, taking only 2 DVD discs. I could watch those DVD's on my PC and my DVD player, not with my family downstairs though, which sucks.

Then I wanted to buy Season 3 legitimately, it had been on TV, and I had watched all the episodes. I couldn't do it though. The content distributor doesn't want me to have a copy. Luckily I have a multi-region DVD player, so I purchased Season 3 from America to have it shipped over, Region 1. Sure I'm impatient, but I have a right to be - I'm a paying customer. I can only watch my purchased copy on my DVD player and my PC, not with my family downstairs though, which sucks.

When Season 4 aired in America I downloaded the episodes as they came out. Being the addict I am, and completely uninformed of when it was going to air in this country, I was compelled. Now they're on Channel 5 and I do my best to watch them but they're on quite late - 11:05 usually. Episodes are an hour  long with adverts and after watching them I'm usually too revved to sleep for a few hours. If channel 5 were to air them at 9:00, I would be so much happier, but yet again - I don't decide what I want - the distributor does. I would be willing to bet that The Shield would end up far more popular than CSI and all of it's crappy incarnations and other second rate cop shows (The Bill would drown to this).

I don't know who told FX and Channel 5 that fans of The Shield are all in America, and should get them months ahead of fans here in the UK and around the world, but that's how they're doing it, and as long as they carry on, so will I.

I fully intend to buy Season 4 when it comes out, but on the other hand, I fully intend to download Season 5 when it airs, then buy it when it comes out on DVD. If that makes me a criminal then so be it. I have been forced into a life of crime by being born in England, when Shield fans clearly all hail from America, and are thusly rewarded.

Another example of using illegal file sharing applications/websites would be when I downloaded Fanimatrix, a fan film released for free over BitTorrent, and I picked up the torrent from www.lokitorrent.com, now closed down - by the powers that be. I got the F.E.A.R. demo over BitTorrent when all the FTP servers were overloaded with traffic. I got the AOE3 demo over BitTorrent. I also backed up my Damien Rice CD, with MP3's I downloaded over the internet, which had the covers and Play list all set up - its less effort for me to download the MP3's than to rip them off my CD. But I break the law when I do it.

How about when I download  a 'crack' for games I purchase, so I don't repeatedly have to change discs. Is this illegal?

I'm sure if this came to court, I would be fined heavily - and possibly incarcerated if I couldn't pay said fines. I wouldn't be able to either. I'm a student. My parents would have to re-mortgage the house, all because I illegally gain content from the internet.