Downloading tunes strikes sour note with some teens

The Internet has expanded beyond just surfing the Web. Chatting with others, buying and auctioning off items, and searching for help with homework, are just some of the features that we are able to find on the Internet.

Another feature that can be found on the Internet is music- downloading for free. Although it has become popular among many who use the Internet, it has become a problem for the Recording Industry Association of America, which has filed lawsuits against those who excessively download music.

In a recent Gallop poll, 83 percent of America's teens said they find it morally acceptable to download music from the Internet for free. This week, our Pulse reporters asked students if they find it ethical to download music for free, and why or why not?

"I think that it's technically wrong, but I still do it because it's available." -- Brittany Webb, senior, Juab High School

"Sharing music is just like a sample at the grocery store. You get a sample of a song, and if you want the whole thing, you go buy it." - - Travis Warner, senior, Juab

"I don't think there is any problem in file sharing. If kids were downloading entire CDs, then yeah, it could be detrimental to a band. But downloading a song or two is doing nothing harmful." -- Victoria Jepperson, senior, Skyline High School

"Sharing and downloading music obviously has economic disadvantages because the music industry employs thousands of people. And a lot of people need to keep those jobs, so, of course, the music industry needs to keep a large amount of money coming in. But from a teenager's point of view, I understand that most of the music is used for personal use and that people who download it will usually buy the CD anyway, if they find that they really like the band. For teenagers, I truly think that if they were going to buy the CD, they would buy the CD anyway." -- Megan Clinger, senior, West Jordan

"I think file sharing is not ethical because it is stealing other people's things. Take songs, for instance. The people who have made those songs have worked hard for that, and it is not right to steal their songs, because it is like stealing their money, and you need to pay for those songs if you want them." -- Tressa Black, senior, Juab

"I think it (file sharing) helps to promote (the artist's CDs), actually." -- Sydney Graybill, senior, Skyline

"I believe file sharing on the Internet is fine because most of the people who are in the business aren't getting hurt because they're already rich anyway. But just to make sure that it doesn't get out of hand, they should put it at a cost, but make it very, very minimal, so it's easily affordable to everyone. Teenagers are mostly the ones doing it, and that's why they need to make it affordable, 'cause teenagers don't have enough money, and we're the ones listening to it. If they like most of the songs on there, a lot of kids will go out and buy the CD." -- Heather Dangerfield, senior, West Jordan

Ellie Billings is a senior at Skyline High School, Connie Yang is a senior at West Jordan High School, Caitlin Holladay is a junior at Juab High School and Mallory Hill is a senior at Murray High School. If you are a Utah high school student and you have an idea for a question you would like to see answered in this space, please send an e-mail to pulse@desnews.com or write to Susan Whitney, care of the Deseret Morning News.

CORRECTION: In last week's Pulse story, a quote by Tim Williamson of Grantsville High School was inadvertently attributed to Mike Merrill of Murray High School.

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