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What's the Deal on Downloading?
Saving Your Teen a World Wide Web of Trouble
By Tamekia Reece
As long as your teen isn't chatting it up with strangers, you're probably not too frazzled about what he or she is doing online – but maybe you should be. She could be on the Net swapping music and movie files. If this doesn't sound like a big deal to you, consider this: In most cases, downloading files for free is illegal. But getting hit with a hefty fine isn't all you have to worry about. Here's the lowdown on illegal file swapping and how it affects your teen.
Before you can realize the potential risks of file swapping, you must first know exactly how file swapping works. Using what's known as peer-to-peer file sharing, or P2P, people are using software provided by online companies, like Kazaa and Gnutella, to use their home computer and connect to other people's computers to make copies of their files – most often music, but also games, movies, software and pictures.
According to experts at WhatsTheDownload.com, a site dedicated to educating people on nearly anything related to downloading, this is where the risk comes in. Using P2P software means that your computer's hard drive becomes a server, and that means other people have access to your computer's file stores. In other words, practically any file on your computer, including work-related material and financial reports, is accessible to strangers.
P2P file sharing also makes your computer more susceptible to viruses. Your teen may think he's just downloading his favorite song, but along with it, he could be getting a nasty virus that could crash your system.
Another downside, according to WhatsTheDownload.com, is that some P2P software can secretly gather information about your computer usage. This information is sold to advertisers or anyone else who might be interested. Once you've got "spyware," as it's called, on your computer, you'll be slowed down by pop-ups, often times those pertaining to pornographic material or other things you might prefer your teen didn't see. Some unscrupulous companies even use spyware as a way to swipe credit card information.