What is Peer-to-peer file sharing?
'''Peer-to-peer file sharing''' is the sharing and distribution of [[digital media]] using [[peer-to-peer]] networking technology. P2P [[file sharing]] allows users to access files, like [[movie]]s, [[book]]s, [[music]] and [[game]]s using a P2P [[software]] program.<ref>{{cite web|title=How the Bit Torrent Works|date=26 March 2005|publisher=How Stuff Works|url=https://computer.howstuffworks.com/bittorrent1.htm|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> There is an ongoing discussion related to the [[economy|economic]] impact of P2P file sharing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Internet File Sharing and the Evidence so Far|publisher=Heritage|url=https://www.heritage.org/technology/report/internet-file-sharing-the-evidence-so-far-and-what-it-means-the-future|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> The economic effect of [[copyright infringement]] under peer-to-peer file sharing on music has been [[controversy|controversial]] and hard to determine. Some unofficial studies found that file sharing had a negative impact on overall record sales.<ref>{{cite web|title=Avoiding Peer to Peer File Sharing|publisher=Northwestern|url=https://www.it.northwestern.edu/security/illegaldownloading/index.html#:~:text=Peer%2Dto%2Dpeer%20(P2P)%20file%20sharing%20is%20the,select%20which%20files%20to%20share|access-date=May 24, 2021|archive-date=May 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524164806/https://www.it.northwestern.edu/security/illegaldownloading/index.html#:~:text=Peer%2Dto%2Dpeer%20(P2P)%20file%20sharing%20is%20the,select%20which%20files%20to%20share|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[United States]]' [[Motion Picture Association of America]] said that American studios lost just over $2.373 billion to Internet piracy in 2005. That was about one third of the total cost of movie piracy in the United States.<ref>{{cite document|title=The Swedish Authorities Sink Pirate Bay|publisher=Web Cite|url=http://www.mpaa.org/press_releases/2006_05_31.pdf|access-date=May 24, 2021|journal=|archive-date=October 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.o