Shawn Fanning, 2000 News

19, former college student who invented Napster, a computer application that allows users who are logged onto one of Napster's servers to download an MP3 recording directly from another user logged onto the same server, found himself at the epicenter of a simmering music-industry controversy. A federal judge in July ordered the company to stop distributing copyrighted music, essentially shutting down the site. Days later, an appeals judge overturned the verdict, allowing Napster to continue running until the case goes to trial.