Movie downloads have become so easy you probably don't know anyone who hasn't tried it at some point. Young people, especially, seem to have an expert knowledge of what's involved, whether they're with a group or on their own. Because of the many options open to them, it became very easy for them to do what they want without getting caught.

Note that this certainly doesn't apply to the sorts of things uploaded by individuals on sites like YouTube. These are their personally properties and are perfectly acceptable for you to watch.

However, major Hollywood films and other movies are owned by the people that make them, and the people who post them online for your use are stealing them from the owners.

The problem is that a lot of people think the only ones who are doing anything really wrong are the people doing the actual uploading and that those who are only watching the videos, are innocent. However, it only takes a brief look at legal statements released by the Motion Picture Association of America, the MPAA, to know how very untrue that belief is.

You wouldn't deal with stolen goods on the street, and so you shouldn't have to deal with them online. It can be tempting to get your hands on your favorite movie before it's available on DVD, but it just isn't fair to the people who put a lot of hard work into the process. There really aren't excuses for this kind of behavior. It's just downright selfish.

No matter how much emphasis there might be on those stories where somebody is caught doing illegal downloading, and no matter how scary the fines and even prison time they might have had to face could be, the fact is people who get caught are few and far between.

However, these people don't always get caught. In fact, the vast majority never have to worry about a thing, which is why so many people continue to download no matter how horrible the stories of those few unlucky individuals who were found out might be to hear.

The fact is, many people just never consider those lowly employees in the movie industry when they download movies. All they know is that they're getting something they want and that they have very little chance of being discovered doing it. This should be considered justification for this behavior, but unfortunately, in too many cases, it is acceptable.

Try to understand how the people who work on movies feel. They live on the money they make from the film, and they won't make any when somebody downloads a movie as opposed to buying it.

Put yourself in the shoes of somebody watching their personal, hard-earned profits slip away because of people downloading their movie without paying for it. You wouldn't want this done to you, so you shouldn't do it to anybody else.

People might tell you that downloading movies is okay because you're only hurting actors, directors, and executives who make too much money already. Don't listen to them. The majority of workers are underpaid staff and extras, and they need your money, too. Stop having to feel guilty and avoid downloading movies illegally once and for all.