Legality Question - Is it Legal to Download an .Avi & burn?

[mrebman]

I have downloaded several .Avi & Mpeg's & Divx files of Certain TV Shows & Non First Run Movies from Kazaa. If I download these from a File Sharing service & burn them & only use them for personal use, is that Legal or Illegal? Have any Zazaa, Morpheus, Napster, Etc individual members ever been prosecuted? Is there any danger of anybody going after File Sharing members or is there just like too many, last time I checked, Kazaa had like 1.2 Million users trading on a Friday Evening.
-Mike-

[Mirror_Image]

The "personal use" bit of the Fair Use doctrine only applies if you already own the copy of the movie (or music, etc) that you are duplicating, not when you make (or download) copies of something copyrighted that you don't own.

So, in short, no, it isn't legal (but you already knew that, I imagine), but it's a long shot that anyone will notice you, the main target for any copyright infringement action would be the distributor.

[ezcey]

Well... They say that if you destroy your copy within 24 hours.. it's legal, or if you attend to buy or own the original, then its legal..

otherwise, no.. it's not legal, but I wouldn't worry unless you're selling pirated copies or uploading them to websites and such.. [/b]

[sean madison]

Nightline was showing something LIVE in feb of 2001 someone dl a movie and then burning it and watching it on his tv.

If that is illegal then the kid would have gotten arrested and nightline sued for broadcasting illegal activity.

It is not illegal for someone to dl stuff like that.

It is illegal if u make money off of it.

[therick]

I have seen people smoke pot on Nightline, so it must be legal....sweet

[bilbogod]

I think you guys are entering into murky waters here

[Greg12]

I knew a man who operated a website and he said that was some BS.

He said the 24 hour rule was made up and isn't really part of fair use.

Of course if them MIA and RICCA have there way, there will be no fair use

[therick]

just trying to say that just because you see it on nightline doesn't make it legal...