File sharing is a way for users and business to share their files/data/product with one another. This could be done in a legal, mutually beneficial way, such as with services like Netflix and Hulu, which allow users to watch movies and TV shows online. Other file-sharing sites, such as DropBox and Pirate Bay, allow any user to share any file they upload with other users; this is called P2P or peer to peer file sharing. This could be very useful for distributing freeware from user to user; however, these kinds of services can be very easily abused. Piracy is a very serious issue online, and in the early days of the internet, there were very few ways, for copyright holders to stop pirates from stealing their content.
"Partly in response to the piracy problem, a cornucopia of video Web sites now feature the latest episodes of virtually every broadcast TV show. Movie studios are experimenting with video-on-demand releases and other ways to offer films on demand. Legal alternatives, the companies hope, will stifle the stealing. The music industry, by comparison, waited years to provide legal options for online listeners." (Brian Stelter, Digital Pirates Winning Battle With Studios )
I personally believe that "if you can't beat them, then join them". The biggest reason why people used to pirate software was that they wanted to sample the product. By uploading the latest episodes of shows online for free, diligent fans will be able to receive the entertainment that they crave legally, and the content holders can profit of their product via advertisement revenue. In this situation both the producer and the consumer win!
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