Posted on: Monday, September 29, 2003

Over-40 folks say it's wrong to share music files

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Staff Writer

We downloaded your responses to our ethical query: "What do you think about music downloading?"

The tally showed, as expected, different breakdowns along generational lines.

Nearly all respondents older than 40 said they believe file sharing is illegal, immoral and just plain wrong.

"No gray area here," writes Kenneth Saiki, 62. "Downloading copyrighted music without paying for it is no different from shoplifting."

But some over-40 respondents said the cost of CDs is too high.

The younger crowd mostly agreed on the cost factor, and respondents under age 40 also said an issue of perception applies.

"While there is an ethical issue of stealing songs, the practice has been so widespread people really do not consider it illegal," writes Jack Miller, 16.

Mailei Stachel, a sophomore at Kamehameha Schools, identified the conundrum that the music industry is fighting to resolve: "I understand that downloading music is unethical and stealing in a sense," she said. "But just because something is considered unethical doesn't mean ... (people) will stop doing it."