Final answer:
Illegally downloading media such as music or movies is called piracy, an act that infringes on the copyright owner's economic rights and is against the law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is D. piracy. Illegally downloading media such as music or movies is referred to as piracy. This term specifically applies to the act of making unauthorized copies of media or distributing them without the consent of the copyright owners. Doing so negatively impacts the economic rights of the creators and is against the law.
According to state and federal governments, intellectual property like music and movies are protected by copyright laws. When a person engages in piracy, they are potentially causing economic harm to the creators and distributors of these media products, as they lose potential revenue that they would have earned through legal sales or licensing.
In MGM Studios v. Grokster, the Supreme Court ruled that companies distributing file-sharing software that allowed copyright infringement could also be held liable. This decision emphasizes the serious nature of digital piracy and the legal accountability that is attached to this activity.