New Media and the Digital Age

With the ease of gathering information that goes along with the digital age in which we live, there also comes a high degree of theft and plagiarism.  Content is so easily accessible through the internet that it has become near impossible to protect anything from becoming 100% public.   However, when it comes to creative ideas and innovations many argue that this ease of content is not always a bad thing.  To be inspired by the plethora of information and media that exists online is a benefit that our generation has over others.  And although in modern times the fear of plagiarism has increased tenfold, there are many instances before the digital age in which authors or musicians would be highly influenced by, either intentionally or unintentionally by another person's work.  There are only so many ideas, plot lines, musical harmonies, etc, that can be created, and everything after that could potentially be seen as mimicking the original.  Digital media by no means created plagiarism, despite the fact that it has made it significantly easier.  The real question is whether or not this is a bad thing.  Where is the line between inspiration and theft?