Ask HN: Is it safe to download movies via BitTorrent in the USA?

jivejones · 2011-07-29T23:14:05.000Z

I want to download a movie, but I'm worry about getting into legal trouble, is that a reasonable concern or am I being overly paranoid?

rwolf 14 years ago |

The risk is nonzero, but it's hard to tell what level of risk you will find to be reasonable.

Data point: http://unitedtechguys.com/2011/06/10/50000-people-sued-for-d...

Anecdote: at least 1% of the people I went to college with were sent "piracy letters" by the school's ISP while attending school.

Edit: data point from Hn in the last hour: http://imgur.com/vsnmm

jimbobimbo 14 years ago |

If you are asking this question, then probably no.

From practical point of view: if your interest in video entertainment is quite mainstream, then while being in US it's actually cheaper in all aspects to carry Netflix or other video rental subscription than download something protected by RIAA. If you have non-mainstream interest, then I'd think, the risk of being caught is lower, since chances are RIAA won't care about some obscure movies.

Locke1689 14 years ago |

Statistically safe? Probably, it depends on the movie. Morally wrong? Yes. Harmful to the state of IP law in this country? Yes. If you're a developer who wants to get paid for what you do will I judge you as a hypocrite? Yes.

Will I make your decisions for you? No.

icebraining 14 years ago | |

>Morally wrong? Yes.

Subjective.

Locke1689 14 years ago | | |

Maybe, but I have yet to hear a cogent argument that doesn't require the axiom that intellectual work has no value, either to society or intrinsically.

kls 14 years ago | | |

I don't think it is so much that the work has no value in their mind, but rather the whole system is held up by legal contortions, manipulation, abuse and corruption via purchased legal protection in the form of legislation. The cost of this victimization to both the artist and the consumer is then passed on to the consumer and only a fraction is shared with the artist.

To be clear people that argue for downloading non-purchased copyrighted work being morally right, are basically arguing that two wrongs make a right. I don't personally align with that view point. I do align with the view point that the work is protected by a system of victimization to both the artist and the consumer and that society as a whole would be better off without those leaches.

icebraining 14 years ago | | |

It seems to me that the onus to present an argument is on those who claim its immorality. Unless we assert that every action is immoral unless justified.

ig1 14 years ago | | |

Does love have no value ?

Just because something is not tradable it doesn't make it without value.

WiseWeasel 14 years ago |

I would say it is certainly a legal concern to download movies via bittorrent. To avoid problems, I would suggest services that don't make you discoverable to 3rd parties, such as html downloads or even newsgroups or irc.

icebraining 14 years ago |

If I was in the US, I'd use a VPN like IPREDator. According to TF, more than 200000 people were sued since 2010 for movie sharing.

geekam 14 years ago |

I wanted to know this. Also, how about streaming websites like stagevu.com ?