The United States of America is a free country, so why shouldn't the Internet be? Why should we place restrictions on what we can and cannot do on the Internet? Every day, millions of users share files on the Internet through numerous online sources. Whether they're downloading music, movies, or software, sharing files online can provide access to an abundant amount of information. These files are often free and easily accessible to everyone. The practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information represents file sharing (Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Copyright Infringement: Are You Vulnerable?). Conversely, many people consider file sharing illegal. Reproduction or distribution of any copyrighted digital media or information defines piracy on the Internet. Many people consider downloading copyrighted files, such as music, movies, books, and software, to be illegal. Music files, among the first file types to be reproduced and distributed via Internet sources, contain the .mp3 file extension. Several popular file sharing programs were developed in the 1990s and made piracy on the Internet easier. Large industries try to combat file sharing to increase their revenue, but Internet piracy actually increases industries' revenue and has many other benefits (What is Internet Piracy?). The copying and distribution of digital files has increased thanks to technology (Torr). Internet piracy, considered a problem all over the world, is as difficult to stop as other types of piracy (What is Internet piracy?). Everything can be digitized and once something is digitized it will be shared all over the Internet (Torr). Canadian and European laws allow downloading of copyrighted files for personal use...... middle of paper ......Vulnerable?" Peer-to-peer file sharing and infringement Copyright. Np, nd Web. March 31, 2014. “Pros and Cons of Online File Sharing and Piracy.” /Thomson Gale, 2005. Print.Washington Post, September 29, 2006. Web. March 13, 2014. “What is Internet Piracy?” WiseGEEK, nd Web, March 7, 2014. “4 Ways.” Whose Internet Piracy Can Be a Good Thing.” Np, nd Web April 2, 2014. “Study Shows Online Piracy is Good for Showbiz.” April 2014. “Online hacking” RSS online, April 23, 2014. Robbert Van Ooijen. hypebot' Np, nd Web April 23... 2014.