Combating copyright infringement

[kymeric]

STEALERS!!!!!

Lol. I probably would nark on them too if i knew where to email the link. XD

Stop being criminals if u dont wanna get caught.

[BoSoxNH]

I feel that if you pay the cable co each month for SciFi, why is it any different if you download the ep vs. recording it to your computer or watching it in real time?

[rlr149]

STEALERS!!!!!

Lol. I probably would nark on them too if i knew where to email the link. XD

Stop being criminals if u dont wanna get caught.

or it could be decriminalized and thus not a catchable offense

tell the film co's to stop shafting us with multi region release dates, different pricing policies for those regions, making people pay royalties for a film they already own on video but want to replace with dvd(i don't mind paying the production cost of the dvd + a bit EXTRA for work done by actors for commentaries etc)

i won't buy a car without driving it, and i won't buy a dvd i wont re-watch. i'll decide for me, whats worth buying and what isn't.

[mod snip]

[Dev Corvin]

It's not actually a criminal act in the first place. It's a breach of copyright which is a civil matter.

I'm fairly certain it's not even prosecutable unless you're distributing it, not simply downloading it.

[shrap]

I know that I seem like a jerk trying to take away people's ability to watch any stargate episode whenever they feel like it.. for free.. but I'd prefer to miss a few episodes (and watch them when they are re-aired), than to have to miss the series (miss like 'long for', not accidentally not see).

You may be able to watch them when they are reaired but there are many places that don't air them or are a season or more behind. This is the only way many of us are able to see them. Especially if people want to remain spoiler free and still visit Gateworld.
For the record Season 3 of SGA (no that is not a typo, I mean S3) is starting next week in Australia. Who knows when Season 4 will start. I realise there are other places worse off than us.

[P-90_177]

Thing is when you download an episode right after it's aired it is a recording from tv. I'm not even sure that breaks copyright therefore seeing as it's just like someone lending a video to a friend...........well sort of...........point is that morally it's on par. It's when people start making pirate dvds and selling them that the copyright infringement starts.

[gateman2007]

There should be a place online where you can pay to watch/download each episode (individually, although mabye there'd be a discount for buying multiple episodes at once). That way, anyone who can access the internet can see the most recent episode, as well as any others whenever they want. Extras like those seen on the DVDs would be cool too. I know iTunes (and some other places too, I believe) does this, but I'm not sure if there are any SG episodes on it. This could also (probably, I'm not too good with economics) funnel the money more directly into the show's production. If this happened, I don't think anyone could really object to attempting to take down episodes from the internet that are up for grabs (that's a euphemism for stealing...). Of course, I could be wrong. Some people are really determined (as I'm sure some of the below posts will prove).

[VSS]

It's not actually a criminal act in the first place. It's a breach of copyright which is a civil matter.

I'm fairly certain it's not even prosecutable unless you're distributing it, not simply downloading it.

Well, I'm sure that's what everyone downloading illegal MP3s thought, too. Until the DOJ convicted and fined a some poor guy for $225,000. Not to mention what happened to Napster.

The problem isn't that it affects ratings- probably it doesn't. BUT- it does affect iTunes downloads, and that's a lot of money. Sometimes SGA is the #1 downloaded program. They're now available just after the program airs when even at the start of the season it was more spotty. I think they're slowly loading up all the old SG-1 and SGA eps on there, too.

[prion]

First of all, most of those websites are hosted in places such as the Netherlands where it's legal to make a home copy of media for personal use Copyright law 1912 section 16c, so there is no legal ground to take them down.
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but it's not legal to repost information if the source information specifically prohibits reposting it. a lot of sites I see flaunting copyright do seem to reside in the netherlands.

[Lauriel]

You may be able to watch them when they are reaired but there are many places that don't air them or are a season or more behind. This is the only way many of us are able to see them. Especially if people want to remain spoiler free and still visit Gateworld.
For the record Season 3 of SGA (no that is not a typo, I mean S3) is starting next week in Australia. Who knows when Season 4 will start. I realise there are other places worse off than us.

Ditto. I buy the DVDs. I buy merchandise. I attend cons. I realise all of these effect only MGM and other corporations, not SciFi. I also watch when it's on on TV, however like Shrap said, we are a long way behind. Australia also operates on a Nielson style rating system, and I'm not included in it. So my watching makes no difference to sydnication, therefore again - no difference to SciFi.

How is my still having access to the show going to do anything other than continue my enjoyment of the show, therefore fostering the continued support (as small as my imput is) to MGM and other distributers? My ability to attain a copy to view has no impact at all on the ratings for SciFi, nor does it in any way impact the production of the show - because as far as they are concerned, I don't exist.

[garhkal]

It's not actually a criminal act in the first place. It's a breach of copyright which is a civil matter.

I'm fairly certain it's not even prosecutable unless you're distributing it, not simply downloading it.

Well the one who put it up is guilty of the distribution of it, and you could be guilty of possession of stolen property.

Thing is when you download an episode right after it's aired it is a recording from tv. I'm not even sure that breaks copyright therefore seeing as it's just like someone lending a video to a friend...........well sort of...........point is that morally it's on par. It's when people start making pirate dvds and selling them that the copyright infringement starts.

The same could be said of me going into a theatre, taking a camera along, recording the film, then handing it out. BUT that is still copyright theft. And the lending to a friend is technically wrong.

but it's not legal to repost information if the source information specifically prohibits reposting it. a lot of sites I see flaunting copyright do seem to reside in the netherlands.

Very true, and while the Netherlands may allow it, our country does not and therefore has no technical right to allow someone access to those sites in the netherlands.

[Agent_Dark]

There should be a place online where you can pay to watch/download each episode (individually, although mabye there'd be a discount for buying multiple episodes at once). That way, anyone who can access the internet can see the most recent episode, as well as any others whenever they want. Extras like those seen on the DVDs would be cool too. I know iTunes (and some other places too, I believe) does this, but I'm not sure if there are any SG episodes on it. This could also (probably, I'm not too good with economics) funnel the money more directly into the show's production. If this happened, I don't think anyone could really object to attempting to take down episodes from the internet that are up for grabs (that's a euphemism for stealing...). Of course, I could be wrong. Some people are really determined (as I'm sure some of the below posts will prove).

amazon and itunes both offer stargate episodes online to purchase. However, it's only available to Americans. Anyone outside the US can't access them.

[Colonel Sharp]

holy chirst-

I have a good idea: lets NOT support the people who are bringing this wonderful show to us, that's a great idea. I'm all for illegal downloads of rap music, but when it comes to something one actually enjoys, SUPPORT THE ARTIST*

*As a bunch of people have pointed out, I would say that this only applies to the US, and other countries (not really sure who), who can legally buy the episodes online, or watch them live or reran, on TV. The ratings are US only and so I don't think watching/downloading makes a difference anywhere else :/

[Agent_Dark]

Very true, and while the Netherlands may allow it, our country does not and therefore has no technical right to allow someone access to those sites in the netherlands.

oh, but how are you going to tell? monitor peoples internet logs? unless they've got a court order to do so, that would be an invasion of piracy (same as tapping a phone for example). Even more, do the police even care about people downloading stuff online? I'd have a feeling they'd put that fairly low on their priorities (it doesn't directly hurt anyone, nor would it even indirectly help any kind of criminal organisation). Shutting down illegal dvd rings is a different matter of course. In fact, the only people who really complain about it are the fat corporate execs who own the studios. What happened to 'sticking it to the man?' i'm pretty sure their companies already make enough money.

[Lex Reekie]

As a musician myself, I know that piracy isn't a good thing... but in the case of SG, it really isn't a problem. The show survives from US ratings, unaffected by piracy as all eps are posted after airing. Without it, the fanbase would be much, much smaller.

On the topic of piracy, this is pretty funny :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arxNE4ffaJc