Copyright infringement via Internet-based file sharing systems Internet-based file sharing systems are gaining popularity and with it the sharing of protected material copyright has become rampant. Powered by server-based systems like FreeDrive and peer-to-peer systems like Napster, copyrighted materials are propagated all over the Internet, and while shutting down such systems appears to solve some of these problems, it is by no means a solution complete solution. By examining these file sharing systems and the legal issues surrounding them, more appropriate regulatory means may be discovered. The same technologies that make the Internet useful to its users, such as standardized data-sharing protocols and universal connectivity, are making it easier for people to carry out illicit activities via the Web. Furthermore, with broadband technologies such as Digital As Subscriber Line and cable modems find their way into more and more homes, the bottleneck once represented by phone lines and analog modems is disappearing, making it easier to share large media files over the Internet. Illegal distribution of copyrighted materials. it is harmful to the industries involved, as it prevents content providers from receiving money that is rightfully theirs and could increase costs for legitimate users. Furthermore, doing so on a large scale has never been easier, and regulating this distribution has proven extremely difficult. For example, there are numerous sites that provide their users with free Internet storage, some of which, like FreeDrive, allow unrestricted public access. This allows legitimate users to access other users' public domain files, making it very easy to share non-copyrighted material such as images and personal information. However, it also makes it incredibly easy for a dishonest person to place copyrighted material on such a site and post a link to it, effectively distributing whatever good it has to offer to the entire Internet community. Similarly, Napster, which follows a peer-to-peer file sharing model, promotes the distribution of copyrighted materials, especially music. It allows millions of users to share and search by merging their files, effectively creating a virtually unlimited resource of digital music. This led to a series of debates over the legality of the software application, as well as several attempts to shut down the service. Recently the RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America, made efforts to shut down Napster, and in rebuttal, Napster focused on six key arguments that they said gave "great legal weight to their position that neither the company nor its users were violating the law"i.