Is downloading movies, music or other intellectual property stealing?

[Tobra]

Just like it says.

I know the correct answer, but I wonder about some folks.

It is a yes or no question, it is either stealing or not.

[stomachmonkey]

Didja get busted?

[id10t]

No, but *distributing it* is copyright infringement...

[pitargue]

I suspect you mean w/o paying for it....

[gprsh924]

The simple answer is yes and no. I download copious amounts of music. However, the vast majority of it is live music and the distribution of it is encouraged by the bands. I will admit that from time to time I will illegally download whatever the latest and greatest pop/rap songs are onto my iPod so that I am up to date on music for parties and such.

I am slowly building my collection of old Top Gear episodes. I have torrented the entirety of seasons 1-6 and have about half of 6-12.

The other thing I do is watch a lot of streaming tv episodes. I am probably about a 50/50 split of watching them on network sites (or Hulu with the advertising) or on sites like surfthechannel where they just link to chinese websites that host old episodes. I don't really feel that it is any different than if I recorded the show with my Tivo and watched it later without the commercials. Theoretically I suppose I should buy the DVDs of series that I like, but I don't have thousands of dollars to spend on episodes of television that I will only watch one time.

[porsche4life]

Of course downloading it is. That site I linked allows you to watch with out downloading.

[Porsche_monkey]

Depends where you live...

[kstar]

Typically "yes".

The likely correct answer lies within the small print attached to the work.

[TGTIW]

I think the way the question is worded here does not convey the OP's intent, but I can tell you from experience that the MPAA takes it very seriously.

[K. Roman]

The music industry hates downloading but there is nothing you could do to stop it unless you completely regulate the Internet similar to child porn. But who would want that? Not me. And I run a label.

[masraum]

i think that downloading and listening to music that has been ripped and normally reqires purchase is theft. Just because you don't then distribute it doesn't make it not theft. It'd be like seeing a thief come running out of a bank with a gun and bag of cash, he drops the cash and keeps running. you pick up the dough and go home. yeah. that would be theft.

[nostatic]

It depends, but unless the artist and the others along the creative and distribution chain have allowed it, it is stealing. You can argue that current IP law is dated and needs reform, but it is what it is.

[Christien]

What about TV shows? I'm sure they technically fall within the same domain as any other intellectual property, but you could consider that either a) they're free, in that they're paid for by advertisers, or b) we've already paid a blanket license in our cable bill for access to them. (If I've paid for a license to have a copy of music, I can make copies for my own enjoyment. Similarly, if I have a given album on, say, cassette and I download an mp3 copy, that's not considered illegal, because I've already purchased the license.)

[nostatic]

It depends. If you go by the letter of the law you'd be surprised at what you *don't* "own." But just considering the spirit, if you download a song that you didn't pay for, then you are stealing from the artist and everyone else that was involved in the production unless they put it out there for free. Same thing with movies and other content. You might as well just break into the artist's house and take their stuff - pretty much the same thing.

Just because "everyone is doing it" doesn't make it right.

[Sonic dB]

Yes it is. I only download something that I have already purchased or have paid to see.

For example, If I had a CD of Led Zeppelin that got scratched and was now unplayable...I may download a replacement Mp3s, rather than buy a brand new one. I think that is only fair since I have already paid for the "media" once, and the artist got royalties for that (or they should have depending on their contractual situation).

[Gogar]

Yes, it's illegal. So is speeding.

[sammyg2]

If it belonged to you and you offered it for sale and people took it without paying for it, would you call it stealing?
I think you would.
My father taught me that lesson long ago when I was a little kid. Whenever I stated doing something that wasn't right, he would ask me if I thought what I did was wrong.

If I started rationalizing it or coming up with excuses, he would tell me to put myself in the other guy's shoes and see if still I thought it was OK.
I almost always changed my mind

[VINMAN]

Todd, whats the deal in the case of, say, a cover band that plays a certain groups music and get paid to play in a club.? Is that original group/songwriter legally enitled to anything? Always wondered about that.

[Porsche_monkey]

What if the 'artists' as a group collect a fee from the medium onto which you record? In Canada musicians receive a portion of the additional taxes we pay on recordable CD's....

Christien, can you elaborate on this?

[Christien]

Unfortunately, yes I can. As a composer myself, it's extremely irritating. There's a "levy" (industry jargon for a tax) on all blank recordable media in Canada. I'm not sure exactly how much it is, but it amounts to (I believe) about 10 cents per blank CD. This money is collected and distributed to recording artists based on their sales.

The idea was that piracy would be less harmful to the industry if those who committed said piracy paid a little extra to those they were ripping off. In the end, an extra dime per CD was deemed worth it to pirate a CD. But for those of us who go through CDs like candy to promote our music, it's a slap in the face. What this ends up meaning in the end is that Celine Dion and Bryan Adams get nice big cheques, whereas those of us who depend on blank media to distribute our own music/media (i.e. content that I created and own the rights to) get to pay them.

It's a really big thorn in the side of virtually every indie band, DJ, composer, etc. in Canada. The irony is, SOCAN fought hard for this tax. (SOCAN is the Canadian equivalent of ASCAP and BMI - performing rights organizations that advocate for musicians, composers, authors and publishers, and also handle royalty collection and distribution.) Many of us were furious at SOCAN for supporting this tax, but they didn't listen, because they knew it would bring their big-name roster more money, and, like much legislation in this country, looked sexy but did little to solve the root problem.