Will legal warnings stop you downloading music?

The British music industry says it will start issuing legal warnings to the nation's most prolific online song swappers.

It's part of a continuing campaign against music piracy and is its strongest declaration yet that lawsuits are on the way.

The industry believes that the market for unauthorised and pirated music is almost as big as for legitimate sales.

Since September hundreds of U.S. music fans have been sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for sharing music over the Internet.

Will this stop you downloading music? Send us your views

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This debate is now closed. Read your comments below.

The following comments reflect the balance of the opinions we have received:

It boils down to the fact that if its free to download it on the net then why would anyone even contemplate going out to pay for it? Rizwan Saleem, UK

A majority of the comments read on this topic are in my view complete nonsense. It boils down to the fact that if its free to download it on the net then why would anyone even contemplate going out to pay for it?
Rizwan Saleem, UK

People sharing files on the net are just searching for new music, I have gigabytes of MP3s on my computer, none of which you'd hear on British radio, none of which you could buy in HMV, but all of which are much better than anything you'd find in the charts today. If the record companies didn't try to shovel rubbish down our throats, catering for 12 year olds, we'd be much better off.
Trem, Wolverhampton

I will only purchase from paid-for download sites if payment is completed via a trusted third party of my own choice. I have no intention of giving my credit card details to every micky mouse web site offering me music downloads.
Steve, Bournemouth

Of course, piracy does represent a clear breach of copyright - but that's not apparently the issue. Perhaps that's not a sufficiently dramatic headline for those seeking to redefine morality in order to protect their own commercial interests.
Ken Watson, Netherlands

The public will not allow the music industry to rip them off any more Ben, London, UK

The only surprise is that so far, not a single label has attempted to achieve this. The public will not allow the music industry to rip them off any more and they are voting with their computer mice. Lowering the prices will not stop downloading, but it will certainly increase sales and profits.
Ben, London, UK

It all depends on the cost. If the cost to download all the songs off a CD are nearly the same price as the CD then nobody is going to download them, and why should they? If you are downloading a CD, you are saving the record company the production costs of that CD. You are not paying a retailer their share either and there are no distribution costs either. If the record companies were fair and honest in all this, the cost of downloading the CD should be the same as the record companies current cut of a CD purchase price and not the same as the retail cost of the CD.
Tony, UK, Rochdale

And if this does not work! What next? Bryan, London, UK

And if this does not work! What next? I know thing for certain - it is never a good idea to criminalise your potential customer base.
Bryan, London, UK

Record companies equate downloading tracks to shoplifting of cd's, but I haven't yet seen single mums, twelve year olds and grandmothers from poor areas being hunted down and financially crucified by record companies for shoplifting the latest 'Pink' LP, which is what the RIAA shamelessly did recently to 532 file sharers. Some would say the money grabbers deserve all they get, do they expect us to feel sorry for them after ripping us off with over priced cd's for all these years?
Ossi, Bristol, UK

Downloading music in Canada is completely legal.
Stewart, Toronto, Canada

I don't, but since the start of the RIAA campaign I have not purchased a music CD, and do not intend to do so in future.
Chris Stofberg, Sydney, Australia

Perhaps if they hadn't been so greedy and short-sighted they wouldn't be in the fine mess they're in now Tabba, London

If the music industry had embraced P2P when it was first created they could easily have linked track-downloading to album-buying both in the technology and in consumer mindsets. Instead they've been aggressive bullies throughout, desperately trying to stomp out the technology using any means possible. Don't they know geeks will always find new ways to do things? It's what we're good at! Perhaps if they hadn't been so greedy and short-sighted they wouldn't be in the fine mess they're in now.
Tabba, London

Ever since I can remember, the music industry has forced us to buy an album of 10 songs with only 2 on it worth listening to and eight that are worse than rubbish. Instead of wasting their time trying to stop us consumers getting even with them for ripping us off for all those years, why don't they divert the effort into encapsulating the technology that enables music to be copied and allow us to choose (and pay for) which tracks we want. Perhaps that will serve to do two things. Give us value for money (at last) and force artists to improve the quality of their music.
Trevor, Colchester, UK

It certainly won't stop me from downloading music. When Napster was online I had net access and found to my delight many new artists that I would never have heard of here in the UK. This prompted me to look for their albums in the shops.. which I couldn't find.. so had to order via places like eBay and Amazon. The music industry needs to see that downloading music helps the music industry...
Carol, Lancaster

Is it any wonder people ignore what they have to say? Jonny, England

If the recording companies had their way I would pay once to buy a CD to put in my stereo, then have to buy another copy if I want to listen to it in the car, then pay again to convert it so I can listen to it on my MP3 player and then charge me extra because my computer's CD ROM drive is not an "approved" device. Is it any wonder people ignore what they have to say? I don't download music illegally but refuse to tolerate restrictions on how I listen to the music I paid for.
Jonny, England

Here we go again. In the late 1970s we had "extra tax on cassettes" to put off people who copy records. Result? Nothing - the industry still made multi-millions. Then in the early 1980s we had the "home taping is killing music" campaign - logo of a cassette with a skull and crossbones on it - result? Nothing, the industry still made multi millions. Now we've got this scaremongering campaign....it's pure straightforward GREED.
Simon Moore, London

If record companies stopped giving people like Robbie Williams obscene amounts of money, like £80,000,000 ("I'm rich beyond my wildest dreams"), or people like Mariah Carey millions because she was a failure, they wouldn't have to worry about "losing" a few records over the Internet. The bands who make their money by selling their records to live don't produce the sort of music most people download. Years ago I would lend people my records and they would lend theirs to me. This is just the same electronically.
Jules, Whitby, England

Surveys in Europe recently showed that something in the order of 50% of broadband music downloader's would happily pay a fixed monthly fee for unlimited DRM-free downloads, in a similar approach to the way radio stations pay a fixed amount to air songs rather than 99p per track they play.
Mark Rowan, High Wycombe, UK

How about fans in China or Russia where there are virtually no legal sales at all - even of CDs. Does the US press charges in those countries? Don't make me laugh!!!
Ed, UK

Music file sharing provides a fantastic opportunity for artists to promote their live performances - this is after all what music is all about.
Jez, UK

Current popular music is so horrible they ought to pay US for listening to it. Give me a charity shop or car boot sale any day. There's some great older stuff to be found for virtually nothing.
Fiona, UK

There was music before the music industry and there will be music when it's gone James, Surrey

The music industry has become complacent in fleecing punters/artists for everything they can get, no wonder a lot of people have chosen another way. There was music before the music industry and there will be music when it's gone.
James, Surrey

Do record companies *really* think that suing their customers is a reasonable business model?
Huge, London, England

Give us in Europe a legal way of downloading decent quality MP3's (not WMA or other formats), which have no restrictions on what we can do with them for about 50/60p per track and then we might think about not doing it illegally. At the moment, we don't have a legal option other than to pay the over inflated prices set by record companies.
Chris Turner, Kingston, UK

Has anyone considered the wider implications of this action, for the broadband service providers for instance. One of the few high bandwidth internet services that has been universally adopted is file sharing. If this service is effectively removed why should anyone bother to pay so much for an always on connection? I for one would cancel my broadband and head back to dial-up access, far more cost effective.
Giles Clinker, London, UK

It says on my CDs and LPs that I have only bought a licence for personal use. If I lose a CD I have to pay full price, but still own a licence. Get your act together, Music Industry, its time for a revolution!
Dave, Clitheroe UK

What's all the fuss about? Sarah, Swindon

Some years ago I bought an LP. I copied it onto an audio cassette so that I could listen to it in the car. Later in the week I gave someone a lift, and they loved the music, so I made another recording onto cassette for them to play in their car. Now everyone is still doing this, but it's a digital age, so instead of vinyl and cassettes we're using bytes. What's all the fuss about?
Sarah, Swindon

Record companies are getting worried that sooner or later people will realise there is actually no need for them. The Internet is the perfect sales and marketing platform for music, a band can release their album on the web and all the profit goes to them. It's not the musicians that are truly going to suffer here, it's the labels.
Paul Lomax, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

I didn't do it before and doubtful that I will start now.
Emma, UK

What a load of rubbish. The record industry makes too much money as it is, and only produces rubbish like, all you have to do is look at 'Pop Idol' to see that! There should be a law making all CD albums start at £5, and all singles a standard £1 - then they might actually have to produce decent music!
James Morgan, Sheffield, UK

If the record industry wasn't so slow to adapt to using the internet, the current situation would perhaps not have arisen Iain, Aberdeen

If the record industry wasn't so slow to adapt to using the internet, the current situation would perhaps not have arisen. I seriously doubt if illegal P2P MP3 file sharing would have ever got so virulent, had there been, a legal alternative earlier. The music industry have no one but themselves to blame, they should get together to form a coherent and plausible alternative, rather than behaving like tin pot dictators which is just getting everyone's backs up and making the P2P MP3 file sharing a hip anti-establishment thing to do.
Iain, Aberdeen

The BPI forced CD-WOW to source it's CD's from EU suppliers, hence upping the price. They were not content with the fact that we were buying legal CD's, but wanted to make themselves more money. This is all about greed, nothing more. If they want to cut the number of illegal CD's on your streets, why don't they price CD's cheaper? £13 for an album is too much money!
Andy, UK

I feel the BPI did itself no favours in preventing "cdwow" from importing cheaper CDs from the Far East. These were legitimate CDs, from the same record companies. But they were cheaper. Shouldn't we ask why CDs are cheaper in the Far East in the first place, and shouldn't we then ask whether the government should not legislate to ban this kind of protectionism (which would be illegal had it been carried out within the European Union)?
Bryan, London, United Kingdom

For bands I really like i will buy their music. If albums were realistically priced at £8 then I doubt there would be a problem. The music industry has shamelessly ripped of consumers here for years. Why do CDs here cost so much more than in the states? Rip off Britain that's why. Why is i-tunes not available here yet? The music industry and such like shouldn't be surprised when people behave in the same way that they do.
Nick, Brighton , UK

How can they stop us? There are millions of us! Roger, Richmond

How can they stop us? There are millions of us! You might get one or two, or a hundred or two, but it's just a small dent. They're just bluffing.
Roger, Richmond

How will they know you are file swapping anyway? Break the Data Protection legislation of every country going? The BMI will have to have quite a few million pounds for legal fees, compensation and fines to pay for any criminal act of hacking and DP violations worldwide. I can't wait for the first big case to cripple the BMI.
Rob, UK

I am not going to stop downloading music until CDs are priced fairly - most of the albums I want to buy are about £17! The fact that singles are available to download on the net doesn't change the fact that I will not pay that amount of money for an album - it just means I can listen to my favourite bands and remain a fan, which is surely what matters.
Anna, Surrey, UK

I will not stop downloading music as it is a convenient way to hear music I wouldn't normally buy in CD format. I still buy lots of CD's and in fact I have bought more CD's on the basis of hearing something I've liked after downloading it. Maybe the music industry should stop being so greedy and start thinking more of its consumers.
Alison Green, London, UK

No one cares if record company profits fall - music isn't going to disappear Jez, UK

No one cares if record company profits fall - music isn't going to disappear. Most of the downloaded music would not have been bought anyway - only record company execs could afford that many CD's!!
Jez, UK

No music made now is worth downloading never mind buying!
Andy T, UK

Never, there will always be a way around downloading free music. Why musicians and the music industry can't see that it encourages listeners to try out different kinds of music BEFORE purchasing, i will never know. Downloading free music has only encouraged my love of music and has certainly not prevented me from purchasing music in the past and it won't in the future.
Jane Lee, Cheshire, England

I'll probably continue to download songs illegally until I can download songs legally! Seriously, why don't we in the UK have access to services like iTunes yet?
Richard, UK

The music industry is guilty of making a mountain out of a mole hill Jon, Loughborough, UK

No it won't stop me downloading music. I have done for many years now but the number of CDs I have purchased has not changed. The music industry is guilty of making a mountain out of a mole hill - they are perfectly rich enough as it is! In fact allowing people to download their songs is beneficial to them as it allows people to hear music they wouldn't have otherwise heard and then many go out and buy it!! It's about time the music industry accepted the fact that it happens and get on with doing what they do best - producing the music we all want to hear!!!
Jon, Loughborough, UK

DVDs are a good example of how the media industry treats its customers. A DVD is cheaper to produce and distribute than a VHS video, yet they are still 30% more expensive to buy. This is justified by the inclusion of "extra footage", which I for one have no interest in.
Huw, Oxford, UK

Since buying a computer I've probably bought more new records than i would otherwise have done due to the easy access options of online music sellers like Amazon, I've downloaded thousands of tunes too. The real problem the music industry has is the fact that most contemporary artists are poor in comparison to those of yesteryear. In the 70s it was 'home taping is killing music' these scare tactics are just an updated version of that.
Stuart, Manchester, England

I will not buy from the legal sites as I do not want to be restricted Nicola, UK

I will not buy from the legal sites as i do not want to be restricted to what I can do with my file once I have PAID for it. The format of legal files restricts how many times you can transfer the file from your PC to an MP3 player or burn onto a CD. I do not have that restriction on a CD once i have paid for it so why so i have to pay for a single track more than once. It's just another way to rip off an already ripped off consumer.
Nicola, UK

I think if people like something they download they will go and buy the album, those that don't probably wouldn't buy it anyway. This legal action is showing how greedy the record moguls are - the decline in music sales is more attributable to the decline in music quality.
Elliot James, England

The prices charged for buying CDs will probably still be higher than any fine for downloading, so I doubt many people will stop!
Annis, UK

These mega-corps must be taking the mick. Here is greed steam-rollering all over artistry and freedom. If they want the public to buy their CD's legitimately, then they'll have to lower the price, because nothing else is likely to work.
Chas Knight, Duxford, UK

Piracy is not seen as a crime by many, many people Peter, St Albans

Hahaha! As if people will download music whatever- piracy is not seen as a crime by many, many people. People see the profits made by the music industry as excessive, the cost of music as excessive, so they will download it. This will never stop; with or without legal notices. This has got to be a joke, right?
Peter, St Albans

I would quite happily pay 99c, though doubtless in the UK we will be ripped off at 99p. Until then I'll probably continue downloading the odd track, generally from years gone by. As I have no wish to buy a complete CD to obtain a single track. The industry has missed an opportunity by burying its collective head in the sand.
D Little, London

Certainly not. I use a Win gate and several proxies' so there is no way they could trace me. If the record industries dropped the prices of albums etc I would of course buy originals (I like owning originals!) However, the cost compared to quality right now is dire, so if I can get them for free, I will. I look forward to the British Record Industry trying to catch me, gives me more opportunities to out smart them - Rock on.
Stuart Mundy, Aberdeen, Scotland

I'm not sure what exactly the music industry is complaining about. Mediocre musicians and their record companies make obscene amounts of money from their record sales, promotions, advertising, etc. Album sales are at a high and a lot of people use file sharing sites to listen to music before making a purchase. These sorts of threats won't stop me from using file sharing programs to widen my taste in music. It's high time the music industry was brought down a notch or two and stop ripping off their customers.
Ian, London, UK

Maybe if CDs weren't so over-priced, then people wouldn't bother downloading. And anyway, this is just like going to the library 20 years ago and taping an LP. That didn't kill home music so why should this? In my opinion, the worst aspect of music consumerism is having to pay £15 for a 30 year old album. It's made its money, anything over 5 years old should be about £3. Tops.
Garry, Cheshire UK

The internet is not something to be feared, but a way to make your music available to millions Alan, Fife, Scotland

Most record companies and artists need to wake up to the fact that the internet is not something to be feared, but a way to make your music available to millions. I have downloaded hundred of songs in the last few years, all of them legally from sites like Epitonic or band websites where they realise that to give away a few songs for free allows people to make up their mind whether they like you or not without having to spend £12-£15 on a CD. This has led to me buying loads of CDs and going to gigs for relatively unknown bands who I discovered via the internet.
Alan, Fife, Scotland

No it will not stop me from downloading music, thousands of people download and even with this the people in the music industry are still ridiculously wealthy! Many of their pets have a better lifestyle then millions of people in the UK and US. They are just being greedy, and although I download music, I also still buy many CD's such as albums that I like.
Kelly, Andover, UK

As a musician and PRS member I can safely say that music downloads have done absolutely nothing to damage sales of anyone's music. Record company profits are at an all time high and rising all the time. Online music simply increases the availability of all types of music and allows less famous musicians to be heard alongside the more famous musicians (or pop stars). Radio stations only ever play established artists, over and over and over and over again. The real pirates are the record companies who have been ripping off both artists and consumers for far too many years
Rich, UK