| A great deal of heat has been generated over the introduction of digital music encoding and digital players. MP3 and other digital audio codecs are simply the latest addition to home recording and playback technology, which has always generated controversy, as all recording and playback technologies contain the potential for abuse. Much of the dialogue regarding MP3's can be directly compared to the dialogue over DAT tape, standard cassettes, VCR's, and even reel-to-reel machines.
Technology itself is neither good nor bad; the question of whether it is used ethically or unethically depends ultimately on the character of the user. RadioShack has a long history of providing technology to hobbyists and enthusiasts of all types, whose demand for product capabilities drive the market to develop new technology to address their needs and wants. Whenever a new technology is used unethically, that abuse is used to suggest that the technological capabilities be restricted or curtailed entirely for all consumers in order to prevent the improper behavior of the abusers.
By using legal download sites and by not distributing bootleg or pirated MP3's, users encourage the audio industry to work with the technology instead of having to work against it in order to protect their interests. For specific information regarding the copyright laws and music piracy, we recommend reviewing the information on the following sites:
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- United States Copyright Office
- American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
- Artists Against Piracy
- Recording Industry Association of America
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