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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
illegal music	Brenda	Friday, September 10, 2004
Question: i have, in the past, downloaded music illegally on my computer. i know it's wrong and i've stopped doing it. so, my question is, do i need to delete all these songs and videos and such that i already downloaded from my computer? what's the right thing to do? thanx a million and God bless.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear Brenda: If a person has stolen property in their possession, they need to return it, if possible, except in certain situations. In your case concerning downloaded music, there is nothing to return, thus it should be deleted, ideally, by a special program, such as Sure Delete, that not only deletes the files, but does the electronic equivalent of a paper shredder. The reason for this is that when one deletes a file all that is deleted is the filename in the Table of Contents of the Hard Drive; the file is actually still on the hard drive and can be retrieved with special software. A "shredder" program will actually delete the file from the Hard Drive so that it cannot be retrieved. The reason to recommend this is that if, by chance, an investigation targets you as a person who has downloaded illegal music, your computer could be confiscated and the files retrieved as evidence. If the files are "shredded" then it is unlikely that the files can be retrieved. This phenomena of confiscation of property has become a standard practice in law enforcement. The problem is that the practice comes from a "legal fiction" that does not exist in the Constitution and is unheard of in the philosophy of democracy, but common in places like the old Soviet Union. Democracy in the United States is on the downhill slope folks. Anyway, that is off topic to this forum. Bottomline: the files should be deleted. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

illegal music

Brenda

Friday, September 10, 2004

Question:

i have, in the past, downloaded music illegally on my computer. i know it's wrong and i've stopped doing it. so, my question is, do i need to delete all these songs and videos and such that i already downloaded from my computer? what's the right thing to do?

thanx a million and God bless.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Brenda:

If a person has stolen property in their possession, they need to return it, if possible, except in certain situations.

In your case concerning downloaded music, there is nothing to return, thus it should be deleted, ideally, by a special program, such as Sure Delete, that not only deletes the files, but does the electronic equivalent of a paper shredder.

The reason for this is that when one deletes a file all that is deleted is the filename in the Table of Contents of the Hard Drive; the file is actually still on the hard drive and can be retrieved with special software. A "shredder" program will actually delete the file from the Hard Drive so that it cannot be retrieved.

The reason to recommend this is that if, by chance, an investigation targets you as a person who has downloaded illegal music, your computer could be confiscated and the files retrieved as evidence. If the files are "shredded" then it is unlikely that the files can be retrieved.

This phenomena of confiscation of property has become a standard practice in law enforcement. The problem is that the practice comes from a "legal fiction" that does not exist in the Constitution and is unheard of in the philosophy of democracy, but common in places like the old Soviet Union. Democracy in the United States is on the downhill slope folks. Anyway, that is off topic to this forum.

Bottomline: the files should be deleted.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum