Downloading is when an Internet user obtains a digital music file from the Internet. Unless this act of downloading is done with the permission of the record label ( for example, from a licensed service like iTunes ), it is unauthorised copying and is illegal. Uploading is when an Internet user allows other internet users to download their digital music files. This creates an illegal library of music available for illegal download using file sharing services.

Copyright law provides that a person must have permission to make a copyrighted work available for download on the Internet. Doing so without permission of the copyright owner is against the law, regardless of whether the music was originally obtained legally or illegally by the uploader.