Four good reasons why you should avoid sharing copyrighted material

1. Because you are breaking the law*.

2. Because you could get more than what you bargained, for example nasty viruses or Trojan horses.

3. Because you are exposing your personal data to others, which can lead to identity theft.

4. Because you may inevitably expose yourself and your computer to pornographic materials, which is not very cool if your school or family finds out!

Sometimes when surfing the Internet for movies, games or music, it can be hard to tell which sites offer the real deal and which are fakes. Here are some cool tips to protect yourself while online:
1. Watch for titles that are oo new to be true??they are probably pirated and may be a fake.

2. Remember that ou get what you pay for? If it seems very cheap, it probably pirated and of poor quality.

3. Read the label. When you order online and your purchases arrive, check the packaging carefully and beware of products that do not look genuine. Some things to look out for include poor quality printing on discs and covers, or lack of original artwork or logos.

4. Rely on legitimate services. New online services provide safe, high-quality alternatives to illegally downloading or streaming files.

Many people who download or share files illegally don realise that what they are doing is similar to stealing. They can face civil or criminal penalties, and young people should be made aware of the risks.

More information can be found in a new brochure launched by the Motion Picture Association and the HIP Alliance. The brochures are being distributed to 164 secondary schools and 16 junior colleges in Singapore starting April 4. Merchants or public venues who are also interested in distributing the brochure can contact Ms Ooh Hooi Eng from Recording Industry Association (Singapore) at (65) 6220 4166.

* Since 1 January 2005, it is an offence if a person wilfully infringes copyright either for the purpose of obtaining a commercial advantage or to a significant extent.

This has application in two contexts: One in the business context for those who blatantly infringe copyright for direct financial gain or commercial benefit and
Two in a non-business context, those who infringe copyright to a significant extent that causes harm to IP owners.

The penalties for such infringement are: 1st offence, a fine not exceeding $20,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months;second or subsequent offence, a fine not exceeding of $50,000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 years.
** song downloads are applicable to the residents of Singapore and its permanent residents ONLY.

http://app.hipfriends.org.sg/hipfeatures/featurearticle.asp

That all Fork...
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