Is it okay to watch anime/video game music and commercials on YouTube?

[zeldamagic]

I love video game music and Japanese music but sometimes the only way to listen to it is on YouTube since the game or full version of the song is not available. I think it is against copyright laws but a few times I give in and listen to the music. Copyright is very confusing to me. There’s this parody video I saw once but it uses music from video games and scenes from an anime and got removed from its original website for copyright reasons. However it’s now on YouTube but I don’t see how watching it harms anyone since it’s not the actual anime/song. Here’s a link to what I’m talking about:knowyourmeme.com/memes/united-states-of-japan-pan Also I’m not playing/stealing the video game by listening to the music but the company but they do have rights to the music. Would this be a sin, and if it is, venial or mortal?

There’s this really funny Japanese pudding commercial I like but I can only watch it on YouTube from a random person who uploaded it. Is that okay? Here’s what I’m talking about: knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/giga-pudding

 

[SuperLuigi]

Watching people play videogames on-line has not really bothered my conscience that much. I guess its because all of the videogame design companies have GOT to know by now that it’s on-line and they probably don’t care, as long as it’s just video and there’s not a module where you can play the game.

Also, there’s probably a walkthrough for nearly every game on youtube now, and people have been posting that information (not so much videos, though) for years.

As for music, I don’t think that people care if you’re listening to the 8-bit or 16-bit songs on the videogame itself…but if you’re listening to Koji Kondo’s orchestra or the Boston Pops on CD, well, I’d say that’s different, but I am okay with it as long as there’s an amazon or itunes link because that’s the contractual agreement. I guess the record companies figure it’s better than nothing and people aren’t buying albums like they used to

That’s MY TAKE. I don’t know what the exact moral situation is. Just because artists and productions companies don’t care or even see it as free advertising may not necessarily make it moral.

This is why it’s important for moralists to up-to-date on technology. I know the media establishment and the legal world has had some trouble keeping up…

 

[ChibiViolet]

I’ve never heard of it being immoral to listen to music on YouTube.