Prompt: In the future nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. Ċ To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is commonly believed that in the future people will not purchase hard copy newspapers or paper books, as they will have everything available on the Internet and free of charge. Basically, I agree with this prediction, however, there are several controversial points to discuss. Ċ First of all, some users already download electronic versions of books or read them online without paying this in spite of the fact that they violate the law and their actions are considered to be copyright theft. In addition, they also can share scanned copies of various editions on particular sites. For instance, it can be both a popular psychological or business book and an educational coursebook, developed by some universities or scholars. By doing this, consumers prevent the authors from receiving proper remuneration for their work and endeavours. Thus, in my personal point of view, it is very convenient to use online resources, but in any case, readers should pay for taking advantage of them. Ċ As for newspapers, online versions are gaining more and more popularity nowadays, and this trend will continue. Some of them are freely available online, but there are also editions, such as The Times, which require a paid subscription, giving a free trial period beforehand. In my opinion, this procedure is quite fair, as articles are written by professionals, who want to have decent pay for their work. Ċ To conclude, I would say that most part of the public who do not value other people's labour will read everything online freely, but the common rule to pay for legal copies or versions will still exist.