File Sharing and Peer-to-Peer Networking
Today, computers and access to the Internet are a gateway to endless information. People can find just about anything on the Internet with the click of just a few buttons. File sharing was introduced in the late 70’s and since then, has continued to grow. It boomed in the 90’s with the introduction of mp3 files. There are millions of people who use file sharing in legal ways. However, that number is masked by the amount of people who abuse the concept of file sharing and downloaded copyrighted material such as music or movies.
This topic is very controversial in today’s day and age due to copyright laws. A large portion of the world’s population can relate to this topic, especially college students and individuals in lower age groups. Over the past decade, file sharing has spread throughout the world and is used by all age groups both legally and illegally. Whether it’s for business, or simply personal reasons, it’s used in everyday life, such as entertainment and corporate communication. Many people use file sharing quite often and are still not completely familiar with the way it works. Understanding more in depth about how file sharing works and the legality behind the controversy, intrigues many people who use file sharing. The background of the software and programming that is involved in file sharing is something that really caught my attention and motivated me to write this paper. File sharing has also had a strong impact on the economy within the past few years. It has been the basis of many legal controversies involving copyright infringement. Sharing files cannot only get you into trouble legally, but it can also have an affect on your computer’s security. Viruses can be attached to these downloaded files and steal your personal information from your computer. The complex systems involved in file sharing exist at multiple levels. They occur at large networking levels, corporate levels, and as low as individual computers within
This topic is very controversial in today’s day and age due to copyright laws. A large portion of the world’s population can relate to this topic, especially college students and individuals in lower age groups. Over the past decade, file sharing has spread throughout the world and is used by all age groups both legally and illegally. Whether it’s for business, or simply personal reasons, it’s used in everyday life, such as entertainment and corporate communication. Many people use file sharing quite often and are still not completely familiar with the way it works. Understanding more in depth about how file sharing works and the legality behind the controversy, intrigues many people who use file sharing. The background of the software and programming that is involved in file sharing is something that really caught my attention and motivated me to write this paper. File sharing has also had a strong impact on the economy within the past few years. It has been the basis of many legal controversies involving copyright infringement. Sharing files cannot only get you into trouble legally, but it can also have an affect on your computer’s security. Viruses can be attached to these downloaded files and steal your personal information from your computer. The complex systems involved in file sharing exist at multiple levels. They occur at large networking levels, corporate levels, and as low as individual computers within
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