[songielove]

Hello!

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question~ but please redirect if me i should be wrong.

I'm going to be a freshman in college and as you know, illegal downloading is a federal crime and can get anyone ejected from school...
So i'd just like to know what is really considered illegal downloading??... As far as i understand, illegal downloading involves softwares such as Limewire etc. But what about sharing music through megaupload.com and yousendit.com etc??? And what about the music/video links shared here on soompi.com as well? What is considered illegal d/l-ing??? >_< eek. Please help me~* hehe, i j/ need a little bit more understanding before i take action on campus . And i will ask the university also. I hope you can help and thanks in advance!

[Xarthan]

illegal downloading = downloading anything off the internet that you should have paid to get. you won't just get ejected from school, but face jail time. it's basically stealing.

Baiscally if you should have paid for it, but didn't. It's illegal.

[apparition]

usually, if you're using p2p programs or something on campus, they log all the info. i hear they're especially sticky in the us (riaa, mpaa) about downloading music and video. but then realize that things like chinese dramas that have no copyright in the us, are actually legal; its quite messy.

[Onesweetypie]

Wait, so can u still dl music from blogs, megaupload, zshares?

[GO!zilla]

illegal downloading = piracy

piracy = downloading of licensed and copyrighted material. any mp3 / tv shows / movies / softwares that you would usually have to pay money for.

[aironeousB]

Go to http://www.remlapsoftware.com/clicksterdonate.htm. They immediately address the issue. http://www.remlapsoftware.com/clicksterdonate.htm

[angelqian]

... nobody really get's jail time, you'll probably just have to pay a fine, thouhg, if you hire a lawyer you could probably get them to drop the case.

[onewhite lie]

Yeah it's anything that you download for free online when you really have to pay.
I never heard of getting ejected, but you do have to pay I think.

[songielove]

thanks guys... hmm.. at the university, students will get sentenced etc. b/c there is really no excuse or use in hiring a lawyer basically. It's very serious and i was j/ wondering where the general line was drawn...
I understand the "illegal downloading = downloading anything off the internet that you should have paid to get" part, but i guess i should ask the university then.

[angelqian]

It' so stupid actually, why should I pay for something when it's EASIER to get it illegally? The MAFIAA need to grow up.

[BishieAddict]

i live in canada.. i think music is legal to download for us, but illegal to upload .
we pay levy tax on blank cds to compensate (lol i don't even how that works).

[trixtah]

The RIAA will continue losing cases until they realize that they need to get with the times...but for now don't download from a university connection

[songielove]

^i will start the school year doing just that ... to be on the safe side hehe... I don't d/l much often, but when i do, it's usually just like a track from a krn OST or like an MV.. all from overseas @_Q~ so.. like someone mentioned before, overseas music/dramas etc. that have no copyright in the US are legal... right?? So i dunno where the line is drawn when it comes to downloading illegally... >_<

[angelqian]

ok, for the most part, you won't get caught for d/ling foreign stuff. I think they are still copyrighted by the artist/label, BUT, nobody will enforce it because d/ling is probably the only way to actually get them / they don't really make money in the US. (Oh, and if you hear of a Korean singer getting pissy about US d/lers, HA, watch her popularity plummet, I think they have many more problems with d/ling in Asia). Look, if you're d/ling MVs and Korean music, it's fine, just watch out about popular movies/music, that's what you'll get in trouble for. I d/l anime, drama, and Korean music, never been caught. Note however, I also d/l TV shows and computer games, and that IS A RISK I am taking each time I do that.

[pxd]

Yes, there is risk involved in downloading foreign stuff.
My brother was using a p2p software and was caught and contacted by the copyright company from Korea.
Had to pay a fine.

[Xarthan]

... nobody really get's jail time, you'll probably just have to pay a fine, thouhg, if you hire a lawyer you could probably get them to drop the case.

that's cauz ppl end up settling before the case can go to trial.

if you're going to download stuff off the net, do it smartly and cover your tracks

[trixtah]

... nobody really get's jail time, you'll probably just have to pay a fine, thouhg, if you hire a lawyer you could probably get them to drop the case.

actually, they do. Think: Scott McCausland

that's cauz ppl end up settling before the case can go to trial.

if you're going to download stuff off the net, do it smartly and cover your tracks

Yup, totally correct. The RIAA and MPAA can't win cases so they scare you into settling. It's obvious that they're just after money when they settle a 2million dollar fine at just 2grand

[.......]

so basically clubbox, limewire, and etc are illegal. right?

[dabrain]

actually uploading stuff is worse ...
in most cases people who uploaded got fined ...
but they r not going to do anything if u d/l jus 100 (ish) mp3s

[ehytee7]

Yes, there is risk involved in downloading foreign stuff.
My brother was using a p2p software and was caught and contacted by the copyright company from Korea.
Had to pay a fine.

how did he got caught?? do they check your p2p to see if you have illegal stuff on it?

i know it sounds stupid to ask..but i was just wondering..