Illegally(?) Downloaded Shows

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waanju

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I know there are a lot of existing piracy threads, but I can’t figure out quite what to do in this particular situation.
My family is watching a show, with several seasons, that is no longer airing new episodes.We have channels that play re-runs, but it’s really hard to watch them in the right order. It used to be on Netflix, but it isn’t any more. It is available “On Demand” for a fee.
I sort of tried to suggest buying it, but my parents thought it was too expensive, and one of my siblings volunteered to get it off the internet. He made some sort of argument that it was legal, because we were downloading rather than uploading. I wasn’t sure, but my parents said I was being silly and it was fine. I know that the files aren’t coming from Hulu or something legitimate, because some of them have wonky subtitles in random languages or bad quality and things.
It would cause a big commotion with my parents if I refused to keep watching the show (I watched a few seasons before it started pricking my conscience). The only solutions I can think of are that
  1. It might be okay because the show was originally on public television. It was free to it’s intended audience (us). Further, we do pay for channels that air re-runs.
  2. If it really is wrong, is it okay for me to buy digital copies on my own, but watch the ones from the internet that are already downloaded onto my TV? I’d still be paying for it (even though that’d be tougher on my personal budget than it would on my family’s), but I could avoid a fight with my family where they’d think me a hypocrite and/or a “rules deontologist”.
I’d like to know soon, because they’re planning to watch an episode tonight and I don’t think I can put it off.

(This is a really dumb question, I know.)
 
I struggle with these dilemmas, too, and am not very educated in this. IMO it would be wrong to watch it if you only downloaded, but if I own something and for whatever reason something happens (misplaced the DVD) I would download it and watch.

I should read up on actual copyright law, as we’re supposed to follow just laws made by a just authority.
 
So, I just bought all five seasons of the show…
Is it okay if I watch the one downloaded on my TV, rather than the one I just bought? I’m allowed to stream from the Amazon video account to a TV, but it’s my parents’ TV and I don’t want to mess with their settings.
 
waanju said:
So, I just bought all five seasons of the show…
Is it okay if I watch the one downloaded on my TV, rather than the one I just bought? I’m allowed to stream from the Amazon video account to a TV, but it’s my parents’ TV and I don’t want to mess with their settings.
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Yes it is** completely fine** that you and your family watch the show. You are being incredibly scrupulous, that is you are over thinking this to the point where it is unhealthy.
  1. YOU did not pirate the show, your brother/sister did, are you his/her father? Is it your job to discipline him/her? No its not. He/she would have pirated the show whether you watched it or not.
  2. You bought the show, so even if you downloaded it some where else, the people who made it have been paid. There for it is moral.
Pirating things that you have ALREADY paid for does not take away any money from the creators of the show. Buying it and not downloading a copy, will give them the same amount of money, as buying it and downloading it a million times. Make sense? The only time they lose money is if you download it and not pay for it.

What show is it? Just curious. Blue Bloods? NSIC? Breaking Bad? Mr.Robot? 24?
 
BackHand said:
Yes it is** completely fine** that you and your family watch the show. You are being incredibly scrupulous, that is you are over thinking this to the point where it is unhealthy.
  1. YOU did not pirate the show, your brother/sister did, are you his/her father? Is it your job to discipline him/her? No its not. He/she would have pirated the show whether you watched it or not.
  2. You bought the show, so even if you downloaded it some where else, the people who made it have been paid. There for it is moral.
Pirating things that you have ALREADY paid for does not take away any money from the creators of the show. Buying it and not downloading a copy, will give them the same amount of money, as buying it and downloading it a million times. Make sense? The only time they lose money is if you download it and not pay for it.

What show is it? Just curious. Blue Bloods? NSIC? Breaking Bad? Mr.Robot? 24?
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Well, actually, it’s just my parents and I watching, so my brother wouldn’t have pirated if not for us (mostly me). Thanks. I was pretty sure that it was okay, but reading an old thread here made me really uneasy.

It’s Downton Abbey. 🙂
 
I think it is good that you had a concern over the original issue. Whether that concern grew too big or not is another matter and not up to me to decide. Copyright laws, especially regarding downloadable media and the difference between personal viewing and public display are very poorly understood.

From what you’ve said, you are demonstrating that your intent is not to steal.
 
waanju said:
Well, actually, it’s just my parents and I watching, so my brother wouldn’t have pirated if not for us (mostly me). Thanks. I was pretty sure that it was okay, but reading an old thread here made me really uneasy.

It’s Downton Abbey. 🙂
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Hope I helped. Hear its a good show, my grandparents, uncle and I like to watch the Poldark series, you should give it a look. 🙂

God Bless.
 
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