People like to say that you can "own" computer files, even going to far as to say that they can be "stolen". But what exactly is a "computer file"?

A computer hard drive has ferromagnetic platters in it. "Files" are created when magnetic patterns are formed on these platters. Solid State-style drives use the same type of mechanism except they form patterns with circuits instead of magnetism.

If I arrange the pattern on my hard drive to match yours, lo and behold-- I now have the same "files" that you have! It would be like me stringing up my own Christmas lights on my own house to match the pattern you did on your own house.

In that example, you own your physical, tangible house and Christmas lights. But you don't and can't "possess" a pattern of lights, any more than you can possess the melody to "Jingle Bells", or possess Algebra, or possess joy.

The case of computer files is directly analogous; you own the physical, tangible hard drive-- but you don't and can't own patterns of electrons.