Question about legality....

[User45701]

i dont know what people are like on the gateworld forum with the topic of downloading SG illegally from online sites.

SG1 tended to air the 1st 1/2 of its season in the US first, but the US mid season break and a thanksgiving break would allow Europe to overtake the US and the 2nd 1/2 of the seasons tended to premier in Europe which would have people from both sides of the pond downloading along with people in Asia, Australia and countries that didn't get it until DVD's where released

This is my question - and it applies to all TV shows.

if you buy the DVD's for example i live in ireland and some shows dont air here for a long time - example would be dexter - didnt even air in th UK/Ire until season 3 had started in the states because when season one came around there was a serial killer over in england and it was deemed too controversial so i had to download it to watch it but heres the question.

Is "Intent to purchase" a viable defence because i buy DVD box sets i have the dexter box sets so i download new episodes witht he intention of buying the DVD when its released.

SG box sets - SG1 and SGA (except season 5) so is it wrong for me to download the first episode of SGU instead of having to wait 5 or 6 months considering i own all the DVD's is "intent to purchase" with evidence of previous purchases make it ok to download because it just comes down to mediocre issues about location and DVD releases not being timed they way they should be

(anyone remember Star trek DS9? every 2 weeks a VHS with 2 episodes would be released for sale?) Thats the way the DVD's should be

Opinions?

also you can only dl from itunes if you have a US account...

[jelgate]

i dont know what people are like on the gateworld forum with the topic of downloading SG illegally from online sites.

SG1 tended to air the 1st 1/2 of its season in the US first, but the US mid season break and a thanksgiving break would allow Europe to overtake the US and the 2nd 1/2 of the seasons tended to premier in Europe which would have people from both sides of the pond downloading along with people in Asia, Australia and countries that didn't get it until DVD's where released

This is my question - and it applies to all TV shows.

if you buy the DVD's for example i live in ireland and some shows dont air here for a long time - example would be dexter - didnt even air in th UK/Ire until season 3 had started in the states because when season one came around there was a serial killer over in england and it was deemed too controversial so i had to download it to watch it but heres the question.

Is "Intent to purchase" a viable defence because i buy DVD box sets i have the dexter box sets so i download new episodes witht he intention of buying the DVD when its released.
SG box sets - SG1 and SGA (except season 5) so is it wrong for me to download the first episode of SGU instead of having to wait 5 or 6 months considering i own all the DVD's is "intent to purchase" with evidence of previous purchases make it ok to download because it just comes down to mediocre issues about location and DVD releases not being timed they way they should be

(anyone remember Star trek DS9? every 2 weeks a VHS with 2 episodes would be released for sale?) Thats the way the DVD's should be

Opinions?

also you can only dl from itunes if you have a US account...

No intent to buy would hold up in a court of law if you got caught illegally downloading.

[User45701]

Court of law would depend on the country it happens in surely?

[jelgate]

Court of law would depend on the country it happens in surely?

Yes but most countries have laws against copyright infringement which is what you are doing when you illegally download.

[TechnoWraith]

The subject of downloading gets a little fuzzy because it's subjective to most.

In the end, if you intend to distribute what you've downloaded after you download it, it is 100% illegal. If you're downloading with intent to buy, and you destroy the downloaded copy after you purchase, then there's nothing wrong with that (in my opinion). If you own a copy of whatever you're downloading, then it isn't illegal at all. In general however, copyright law is pretty severe when it comes to just downloading, irregardless of intent. You can say you're not going to distribute something, but what's stopping you from doing so? According to US copyright law's point of view, the answer is "Nothing." Therefore you are in violation of copyright law by simply downloading something. The law makes no distinction of intent.

The timing of most episodes and distribution of episodes across the world creates a lot of questions regarding downloads of episodes. What i usually do is download an episode and then delete it right away after watching it. I've only ever downloaded like 5 episodes throughout the entire stargate sg1 and atlantis series runs, and that's because the DVR's didn't record certain episodes.

In my opinion, if you don't distribute what you download, you should be able to keep and use it as you see fit.

[Darren]

I think that asking what is "legal" is not quite the same as asking what is "wrong." (Though, of course, one could argue that the act of doing anything that is technically illegal is wrong.)

In the legality department: No, international copyright laws do not permit you to download an episode because you intend to buy it. They also don't permit you to download an episode that you already own on DVD.

[amconway]

I think Darren is right to delineate the question in term of both legal, and wrong. It's always illegal and there are no exceptions. My personal feeling is that it's wrong if it in any way might decrease purchases of the DVDs or affect ratings/cable profits, because that takes money out of the stream of revenue that pays for the show. So, distribution-wrong, downloading and not buying-wrong, downloading and not paying for the cable station that provides the show in your location-wrong. Downloading with the 100% intention of buying the DVDs and paying for the cable-not wrong. Illegal, but not wrong, except, of course, that you're breaking the law.

[Stargate Answers]

When it comes to cable stations they don't care about copyright unless the act of copyright infringement is done by them. They only buy the broadcasting rights to the show not the whole copyright. but Yeah downloading it no matter which country your in is breaking the law even if you intend to purchase the DVD set. but not neccessarily wrong. Cable companies don't care if you copy from their stations broadcast. because not everyone knows about torrents and not everyone has high speed internet connection. Also the show is lower quality than DVD sets. Personally i do download but i always purchase like for instance season 2 didn't even fully air over here. only half the season then they forgot and havent bothered with season 3,4,5 either. So yeah i downloaded them. but i have deleted them now and i'm waiting for the DVD sets. When i delete i use a program which writes zero's over the data deleted so no trace is left.

Also i'm what is called a leech i don't upload never. I don't want to get caught for distribution of copyright material. That is like a $500,000 fine over here so why upload. other than to give back what you have taken which isn't worth $500,000

[hotz69]

Funny you should bring up this question, i was thinking of bringing it up myself.
I have always downloaded every single stargate episode and probably always will. I live in australia and as of now they havent even shown atlantis season 4 on tv. Now, in saying that i will always buy the dvds and once i do, i delete the episode from my computer. Personally i dont think its wrong IF you live outside, for stargates sake, the US. However most in the US will have seen it and recordered it and there would be no issue.
But for me personally i dont see the problem as i watch it on tv and buy the dvds, nobody misses out on getting money from me and if the only way i could see stargate was to pay online to watch, then i would. I dont think to all people that download off the net do it because they want to save money, they do it because they want to see their show and many like me would gladly pay a small price and/or buy the dvds to support our show.

Ryan

[jenks]

I think that asking what is "legal" is not quite the same as asking what is "wrong." (Though, of course, one could argue that the act of doing anything that is technically illegal is wrong.)

In the legality department: No, international copyright laws do not permit you to download an episode because you intend to buy it. They also don't permit you to download an episode that you already own on DVD.

Exactly. Even the producers have voiced their sympathy to people who have to wait to buy the DVD's and their indifference to people who download things they intend to purchase. So really, if you're fine with it from a moral standpoint then in terms of legality, who cares?

[Flyboy]

Exactly. Even the producers have voiced their sympathy to people who have to wait to buy the DVD's and their indifference to people who download things they intend to purchase. So really, if you're fine with it from a moral standpoint then in terms of legality, who cares?

... The Police?

[knowles2]

It be an interesting point to raise in court, you never know a judge may agree with, of course in America they are all owned by the MPAA so you do not stand a chance but in a country, say Swenden, seem the MPAA have not been paying their bills there, and other countries where they have not been bought out and the judge willing to listen to your argument then their a chance it may work. However you need to prove that you have not redistributed hard in the case of torrent but nothing impossible, and you have bought legitimate versions of the material.

I am not saying it would work 100% percent but your argument might get a reduction in penalties.

Whatever happen your fellow pirates will always be their in moral support.

Whole and stop leeching, I really do hate people who do not seed, a least wait until it 1:1 ratio before you stop.

[jenks]

... The Police?

It's a figure of speech, in other words if you're OK with it morally why would you care if it's illegal, it's not like you're going to get caught.

[Flyboy]

It's a figure of speech, in other words if you're OK with it morally why would you care if it's illegal, it's not like you're going to get caught.

Without getting into the rights and wrongs of the law - because that's a massive debate for another time - you can't guarantee you won't get caught. Particularly if you're ISP is Virgin. There's a massive clamp down, at least in the UK on illegal downloading, and Virgin have been assiting of the police in this matter. Usually with music I'll grant you but still. People do get caught.

[Alexandria7]

Actually downloading a televised episode is not illegal. Downloading a DVD rip would be. This debate has gone on since as long as I've been here, but the truth of the matter is they cannot stop people from downloading televised episodes. They cannot shut down torrent sites that only have televised episodes, because it's not directly interfering with sales. People who download the latest shows are only downloading a television quality episode. To get the better quality, additional footage, and stuff that's not shown on television one should buy the DVD.

Downloading the show is honestly no different than having a friend record it on to DVD for you to watch later. It's just someone recording it off tv for someone else to watch later.

I can download the show here or I can have my mom record it onto a DVD when it airs in the US and then send it to me in the post. Is there any difference? No. None. By all means enlighten me if you think there is.

I studied media law. It cannot be proven that the person downloading the televised episode is interfering with the profit of the show. DVD rip, yes, televised, no.

This whole thing is a gray area and is very arguable in a court of law. Trust me.


And honestly, it's really a moot point when they post the episodes online for free with Hulu. Too bad they do not let those outside the US watch it on Hulu. That is the problem with this whole thing. There wouldn't be pirates if they stopped thinking that the US is the only country in the world that they need to broadcast to.

I refuse to be told that I cannot watch a show that I'm passionate about because it isn't airing where I live. Maybe they should just give us legal options for viewing instead of criticizing us for watching it by our own means. I'd gladly pay for the privilege to have the sci fi channel live.