Got sued for downloading?

[Broken]

Did some reading on the RIAA's website for what is prohibited concerning copyrighted material. Here is what I read: On the federal level, titles 17 and 18 of the U.S. Code protect copyright owners from the unauthorized reproduction, adaptation or distribution of sound recordings, as well as certain digital performances to the public.

I think downloading copyrighted material qualifies as reproduction (the downloaded file is being reproduced on another computer).

The law in this area is grey because no reprocutions are mentioned in the DMCA for downloading. Only fines and penalties are mentioned for the distribution of the material. The target at it's composition was websites, back in a better time before the common user was 'the enemy'.

What is legal reproduction?
This issue has been in court since the latter 70's starting with the Sony Betamax Case. Believe it or not the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is in court right now arguing with the music industry about whither or not you have the right to copy your music collection to your IPod.
The "copywrite holders" would like it to be illegal, but currently it's not.


So... downloading material off the internet. The law only has punishments set up for those doing the giving, distributing. No law suit has ever been filed for downloading, and it is very unlikely that there will be one in the near future.

As pointed out, notices are very carefully worded. I've never heard of one that said we caught you downloading this - they say we caught you sharing, distributing, this.

And yes, there are ways to get without giving.

[Broken]

isn't the law great?

[Sleepless-X]

i agree mate

[coppercox]

So... downloading material off the internet. The law only has punishments set up for those doing the giving, distributing. No law suit has ever been filed for downloading, and it is very unlikely that there will be one in the near future.

Well, I definitely don't want to be their "test" case for downloading.....so I will continue to be vigilant and try to avoid their radar....

[sear]

So... downloading material off the internet. The law only has punishments set up for those doing the giving, distributing. No law suit has ever been filed for downloading, and it is very unlikely that there will be one in the near future.

Well, I definitely don't want to be their "test" case for downloading.....so I will continue to be vigilant and try to avoid their radar....

Just curious but how do you intend to be vigilant?

As far as I'm aware there is no sure fire way of avoiding a lawsuit except not downloading/sharing copyrighted content. Using a darknet is prob the best way but as far as publicly available networks are concerned newsgroups seem to have a good rap though I don't use them. Lucky for me I live in Australia and as far as I know no bt users have been sued though a number of trackers and IP providers have tasted the wrath of the federal police.

[optimistik]

I love Canada lol the laws work for me, at least at the momment they do... I don't know what i'd do if they changed. No one will ever be safe from groups like the riaa and mpaa although newsgroups are the safest right now.

[coppercox]

Well, I definitely don't want to be their "test" case for downloading.....so I will continue to be vigilant and try to avoid their radar....

Just curious but how do you intend to be vigilant?

As far as I'm aware there is no sure fire way of avoiding a lawsuit except not downloading/sharing copyrighted content. Using a darknet is prob the best way but as far as publicly available networks are concerned newsgroups seem to have a good rap though I don't use them. Lucky for me I live in Australia and as far as I know no bt users have been sued though a number of trackers and IP providers have tasted the wrath of the federal police.

Well, nothing is 100% but i have a better understanding of what they look for and how. I avoid the public trackers now and only use private and newsgroups... and reading as much as i can about how the Riaa and Mpaa do things (web crawlers according to their website)...in the war on piracy their first front is public bittorrents....they will open a second front (if they haven't already) using people to infiltrate the private trackers....once they slow the flood of piracy through bittorrent to a trickle i can see them moving to other fronts if they begin sensing another large threat: newsgroups, freenet, darknet, and whatever new file sharing protocol yet to be invented....

"Where there is Hunger, Law is not regarded; and where Law is not regarded, there will be Hunger." - Benjamin Franklin

[Broken]

Newsgroups have been around since the early 80's, even before thier was 'the internet'. It is the cockroach of the filesharing world. Even after all other filesharing methods are dead, there will still be Usenet. It is also the fastest most secure method there is.

Old School rulz.

[Gish]

It seems many of you have done you homework on this issue!! I for one am still learing about the this stuff.
(my .02$)
for everyone still using P2P programs like limewire, edonkey and kazaa. your dumb!! P2P is an old way of sharing and in my opinion is filled with indistry eyes(more than torrenting). at least DL and UL using private sites as far as torrents you can turn off the DHT setting. thats going to help you with safty a little when on private trackers. also uploading to public trackers are stupid(you don't think the owners of those sites will rat you out to save their ass) Im not saying private sites will not rat you but I think it is less likely.
Also, when disableing the DHT setting will make you only invisible to the genaral population not those who you are sharing the file with. thats why in private site they ask you to tun of this setting.

Thats all I have to say about that!!

[coppercox]

It seems many of you have done you homework on this issue!! I for one am still learing about the this stuff.
(my .02$)
for everyone still using P2P programs like limewire, edonkey and kazaa. your dumb!! P2P is an old way of sharing and in my opinion is filled with indistry eyes(more than torrenting). at least DL and UL using private sites as far as torrents you can turn off the DHT setting. thats going to help you with safty a little when on private trackers. also uploading to public trackers are stupid(you don't think the owners of those sites will rat you out to save their ass) Im not saying private sites will not rat you but I think it is less likely.
Also, when disableing the DHT setting will make you only invisible to the genaral population not those who you are sharing the file with. thats why in private site they ask you to tun of this setting.

Thats all I have to say about that!!

I was unaware of the DHT setting. I am glad you contributed. Wonder if that was my problem in the first place - doh!!!