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Integrity and honesty are two qualities the recording industry has taken upon itself to instill in college students across the country.

It's not just about profits for them; it's about saving a generation from immoral behavior.

But does downloading a few songs mean you are destined for hell?

The recording industry would like us to think so.

New measures are being taken both by universities and record labels to combat illegal file sharing on campuses.

In the most recent attempt, Pennsylvania State University and the new Napster online service reached an agreement that will allow the university's students to download and listen to thousands of songs for free.

Starting in the spring, students at Penn State will have almost unlimited access to as many songs as they want on as many as three campus computers, all made possible and paid for by a $160 information technology fee that was already in place for each student.

In order to burn a CD, Napster charges 99 cents per song or $9.95 for a monthly subscription. But this is the first university to reach this type of agreement and provide its students with free music in an effort to stop music piracy.

So where does that leave us?

According to Associated Students of ASU undergraduate President Brandon Goad, our University needs to see money go toward things like newer chairs in classrooms and higher faculty salaries, but not necessarily free music for all.

I agree with Goad, and any of you who have sat on those little orange chairs probably do, too.

But what about our morals and values? Isn't anyone worried about the future ASU alumni who will graduate thinking it's OK to break the law in the "real world" because they did it in college?

I know after I downloaded a few songs off Kazaa, I went on a law-breaking rampage that has only recently subsided.

I guess for us here at ASU, it's eternal damnation - or wait, maybe the recording industry is just trying to scare us.

There is no doubt about it, illegal file sharing is just that - illegal - and we shouldn't break the law, but for our generation, it's the thing to do.

It's comparable to the 80s, when hip teens walked around with a boom box on their shoulders blasting Bobby Brown. At least now we can download better music.

College students aren't devious, just smarter nowadays. After all, Napster was the brainchild of a college student. Now it and Kazaa have new services available that are within the law and require the user to pay for downloading.

Other companies have jumped on the bandwagon as well, like Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes, or RealNetworks Inc.'s Rhapsody and BuyMusic.com.

Though these services are not the same, I suggest we try them. In any case, there is bound to be some crazy sophomore sitting in her dorm one day who comes up with yet another alternative to the norm.

In the meantime, we'll buy into what the recording industry is telling us and pay for music while fearing the wrath of recording industry lawyers knocking on our door with a subpoena.

Really, we're not the immoral ones: Suing young children and their families somehow seems worse. Artists don't make music for the sake of art anymore; it's all about profit, and the minute we infringe on those rights is the minute we are accused of being the bad guys.

Maybe we shouldn't be so worried about the future integrity of college students but about the principles by which the recording industry operates.

Catherine Portillo is a journalism senior. Reach her at catherine.portillo@asu.edu.


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