Requesting Downloads is NOT Allowed
Edo said:
Like downloading is illegal. Educate yourself first, even if I am wrong in saying it is legal, it still is NOT illegal. Educate yourself first! Whose your source? The RIAA?[\I use tags like an idiot]
Getting a bit frustrated? Actually, Bamboo and I have been discussing this during the day, and we've come up with some interesting conclusions.(I even got a marshmallow chicken out of it) Most countries, Spain and France included, have copyright laws that specifically state that possessing a copyrighted work without permission is illegal. (It should be noted that the law applies even if we are only talking about part of a file) You can make the argument that the actual act of downloading is not illegal, EXCEPT it's impossible to download and not concurrently come into possession of the file wihout permission. Ergo, you cannot download copyrighted works without permission without breaking the law. In the interest of fairness, it should be noted that SOME countries, such as France, do have certain exceptions to the laws which enables people to download in CERTAIN situations legally. However, these people can still be sued/charged/etc. and it must be decided by a court that said downloading was, in fact, legal. Edo pointed out to me a recent court decision in France which, on the surface would almost appear to make downloading moves there legal. But, that's not the case. Another, very similar ruling went the opposite direction, and there are, in fact, several similar cases still pending. While some of them may be found innocent of wrong doing, others will not. And the truth of the matter is, with the fluidity of the laws, since it's up to a judge to determine if the act of downloading falls under the scope of the exception in the law, you can almost never be sure you are or are not breaking the law until someone charges you, you go to court, and are acquited or not.
It should also be noted that, to my knowledge (and I invite anyone who has information to the contrary to PM me), no country that we would be talking about here (France, Spain, Canada, etc.) has exceptions to their copyrights laws, without first having a tax on things such as blank media, to help recoup the money lost to companies via downloading.
As for the site you are referring to, I assume you mean LokiTorrent You can name it, because it's no longer a torrent site. :wink:
Since I'm fairly certain that most people's minds on either side of this debate won't be changed, and since the purpose of this thread was merely supposed to be an announcement, I suggest this thread would be better off locked.
