Piracy, Legal or Not? Options

[medic]

I've noticed on this forum that they shut down almost every topic that has to do with any P2P program. Its not piracy to have a P2P program, or to use it. Its the way people use it. RealPlayer records what you play and sends it to there datacenter, that invasion of privacy, why aren't they getting sued. And NO they don't ask you if you want to participate in a consumer deal, they do it on there own will. The program is made to share information, so if you find a P2P program illegal, shut down all topics about AIM, Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger - they all have P2P in there, you can send files through them - but for some odd reason there not considered ILLEGAL and don't get stereotyped as PIRACY. Consumers label a P2P program as Piracy, I think it is unjust. Why isn't TiVo illegal - it records movies without commercials and you can then burn them to a CD. If I wanted I could go set TiVo to make a copy of Assault on Precinct 13 on HBO or Stars and then burn it to a DVD. I didn't pay for that movie, I pay for the channel - but that still does not make it legal for me to do that. So in what ways does you downloading the same movie off a torrent site have any different effect. The RIAA and MPAA are just looking for more ways to screw consumers over.

I am doing what one of the mods said, to post it in debate - so I did. And I bet it gets shut down again.

[medic]

The issue with recording TV shows or movies on a Tivo or similar device is a sticky one, but the creator has already been compensated for that product, in the form of revenue generated from advertising. I think it's okay to "time shift" TV recordings, as long as you do not sell or otherwise distribute those recordings.

A p2p program does not cost money, unless you wan't it too. They get very little ad revenue - the only way they make money is from private investors. That is how almost every company starts. And as for the whole

I think it's okay to "time shift" TV recordings, as long as you do not sell or otherwise distribute those recordings..

When I download A movie off of a BitTorrent site its the same deal, I dont burn it and sell it. So that is still unclear.

In regards to movies, TiVo is ok, people already pay for the TiVo receiver and their cable/ satelite service. Why slap yet another fee for recording or make it illegal to record with the TiVo? No one outlawed the VCR, which does basically the same thing....As long as you don't redistribute the content, it's ok.

Now with that, that's what a BitTorrent .mpg or .avi is, so why shut down sites for it? And one other thing, on local channels they show Family guy and such, and well a Torrent site had links to download for such TV shows, and they got shut down for what reason. Those TV shows are free on local channels aren't they. There not making any profit from someone using bunny ears to get that channel on the TV. Plus TiVo is not under fire due to its affiliation with the MPAA, that's about one answer I have found so far.

Its not like its killing me, I just like have somewhat intelligent conversations with people - and this one has tickled my pickle. This beats the discussion on condoms I do say.

[*mipadi*]

A p2p program does not cost money, unless you wan't it too. They get very little ad revenue - the only way they make money is from private investors. That is how almost every company starts.

Riiiiggghhttt...but I'm not sure how that relates to my statement. I pointed out that recording TV programs with a Tivo is okay, because the creator still gets compensation (from the TV company, who gets compensation from advertising and user subscriptions). I don't believe a P2P program compensates the creator in this manner (or at all).

When I download A movie off of a BitTorrent site its the same deal, I dont burn it and sell it. So that is still unclear.

It's only unclear because you took my quote out of context. The difference is that, with, say, a Tivo, the creator is compensated (as noted above) even if you time-shift; with P2P, it is not. You never paid for that media, and no one was compensated for it.

Now with that, that's what a BitTorrent .mpg or .avi is, so why shut down sites for it?

Because that's not time-shifting--it's distribution. That P2P program never paid for the content it is distributing--and, in fact, since many P2P programs contain adware and advertising, they are, in effect, getting paid for that illegal distribution.

And one other thing, on local channels they show Family guy and such, and well a Torrent site had links to download for such TV shows, and they got shut down for what reason. Those TV shows are free on local channels aren't they. There not making any profit from someone using bunny ears to get that channel on the TV.

Yes, they are--the TV company gets money for advertising--advertising that is priced proportional to how many people view it. But if you get the shows off of a torrent site, you're not being figured into the advertising population.

The way I see it, artists, executives, and everyone involved in the process of creating media, have a right to be compensated. If you don't like that, no one is making you buy their products; but it's not fair to try to get something for free that someone else created, unless they specifically say it's okay to get it for free. We can sit here and debate the legality of it, but I think it really comes down to a moral/ethical issue.