Peer-to-Peer file sharing & LimeWire - is it legal? Is it moral?

[Catholig]

Hello everyone,

I basically wanted to ask the question of whether or not LimeWire and Peer-to-Peer file sharing is moral. I have not done this, however if it is moral I may. Basically on one hand I feel that it is making copies of copyrighted material and undercutting the people who original produced a CD (for instance), and stealing - but on the other I’ve been told that as long as it isn’t done for profit then it is legal. And if it is legal the people who are producing these types of CDs would expect that this (peer to peer sharing) would be done, would accept that they can’t limit it, and you’d basically have their permission.

What do you guys think?

Catholig

 

[Pete_1]

Dont most Cd’s on them say that you make only one backup copy, and this may not be shared with others, this is usually contained wiithin the Terms & Conditions. Using limewire results in many copies so breaks copyright i think, i may be wrong

 

[Penitant]

Dont most Cd’s on them say that you make only one backup copy, and this may not be shared with others, this is usually contained wiithin the Terms & Conditions. Using limewire results in many copies so breaks copyright i think, i may be wrong

Actually, when they say that you may only make one backup copy, it’s not enforceable. It’s just there so they can threaten to sue you down the road if they so choose.

The ability to make copies for personal use is included under the concept of ‘fair use’. For example, I could put a copy of a CD on my laptop, a copy on my Ipod, and make a backup CD in case the original gets to be unusable. This would be legal and very well should remain that way. This assumes that I’m not using those items as a means of giving the music away to others.

The question is about distribution to the public, which is almost invariably copyright infringement. Of course, the distribution means alone does not inherently imply this. There are many, many things on peer-to-peer networks that are perfectly legal. For example, anything under the Creative Commons license or the General Public License can be distributed openly.

That said, if you are looking to download most mainstream music off of a peer-to-peer network, it will almost always be illegal. There are a few exceptions, of course.

Interestingly enough, copyright infringement (such as giving your friend a copy of a CD) carries a much harsher penalty in the US then theft (taking the CD from a store).

Pax Tecum,
Penitant

 

[Catholig]

Actually, when they say that you may only make one backup copy, it’s not enforceable. It’s just there so they can threaten to sue you down the road if they so choose.

The ability to make copies for personal use is included under the concept of ‘fair use’. For example, I could put a copy of a CD on my laptop, a copy on my Ipod, and make a backup CD in case the original gets to be unusable. This would be legal and very well should remain that way. This assumes that I’m not using those items as a means of giving the music away to others.

The question is about distribution to the public, which is almost invariably copyright infringement. Of course, the distribution means alone does not inherently imply this. There are many, many things on peer-to-peer networks that are perfectly legal. For example, anything under the Creative Commons license or the General Public License can be distributed openly.

That said, if you are looking to download most mainstream music off of a peer-to-peer network, it will almost always be illegal. There are a few exceptions, of course.

Interestingly enough, copyright infringement (such as giving your friend a copy of a CD) carries a much harsher penalty in the US then theft (taking the CD from a store).

Pax Tecum,
Penitant

Okay - so it is illegal to use LimeWire to download “mainstream music”? If so then how is it still in business?

Catholig

 

[Roman20]

Hello everyone,

I basically wanted to ask the question of whether or not LimeWire and Peer-to-Peer file sharing is moral. I have not done this, however if it is moral I may. Basically on one hand I feel that it is making copies of copyrighted material and undercutting the people who original produced a CD (for instance), and stealing - but on the other I’ve been told that as long as it isn’t done for profit then it is legal. And if it is legal the people who are producing these types of CDs would expect that this (peer to peer sharing) would be done, would accept that they can’t limit it, and you’d basically have their permission.

What do you guys think?

Catholig

Im not going to get into this in depth but the laws keep changing on this now leaing more to the illegal side…

First it was LEGAL and above board to share and download

Then it was LEGAL to download but not share

Now its meant to be both ILLEGAL to download and share

Its a personal conviction you can obviously see why its because they were losing money

At the end of the day its a law now… and so abiding by that is up to you to decide… what can you conscience live with?

 

[JoshR]

Priest told me if its copyrighted then its stealing so it is a sin