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Well, the only thing about internet piracy that I know is how to do it, I don't know anything about the punishments, how they find out you were guilty and so on.

So anyway, what can happen if you're caught pirating stuff illegally online =\

Basically, the government doesn't go after the downloaders, but the people who supply the illegal files.

From my knowledge, you can be fined and/or sent to jail for up to $100,000 and/or 10 years in jail.

Just for stealing a program that is like 20 dollars?

Isn't that more harsh than stealing from a store?

Okay, and what exactly is illegal/legal. Is downloading a movie or a game illegal, or is using it illegal.


And what about sharing your files with your friend, like I sent my library of music to my friend. Is that illegal?

http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/help/entry.html?cat=24
That'll cover everything on games. Not with music, though.

He said those who SUPPLY it.


Downloading it would be illegal... And yes, sending a library of music to your friend is illegal. But whose gonna know?

I guess you're right. But how would they know in the first place, would the confiscate your PC?

As explained by the gamefaqs page there, probably nothing will happen to you. They're more concerned with distribution than the recieving end. Going after small-time downloaders would probably be a waste of money, clog the courts, and get poor publicity. Should the companies decide to take action though, you still are violating the law, and the end result wouldn't be pretty.

How would they know? There's a few way I can think of. Hacking into your computer and spying on you (while probably not allowed) would be one. Planting "bugged" files around that tell them when you download stuff could probably tip them off. And of course, physically coming in and confiscating your PC would work. That assumes, however, that's what they were looking for, which is probably VERY rare. If they come in looking for info on a drug ring and find illegal downloads on your PC, the Fourth Amendment and exclusionary rule should have you covered.

Organizations like the RIAA are becoming extremely... anal about file sharing. DRM is one of the big issues that are already majorly impacting consumers (such as file protection software, which usually makes matters worse than better). I recently read that the RIAA stated that transferring burned audio tracks from a CD to an mp3 player was illegal. Stuff like that is just plain scary.

How about the companies that charge 800 bucks for software even after each new version. How is that not stealing. No software should be over 80 bucks IMO.

Some software like stuff used for video editing can easily run into the thousands of dollars.

The RIAA probably made the law that "prohibits" burning a track from a CD to an mp3 player so they could get at Bush who was doing that. He probably pissed them off.

But can't you just say that you got it legally and they wouldn't know?

They'd probably ask for the CD. And if you have 10 illegal games, the chances of them believing "I lost them". Is very slim.
Also they can check for suspcious things like No CD-Hacks, your favorite websites. Illegal programs, or programs that have potential for illegal doing. And with some games there's a few files that don't appear in the illegal version, or a difference in the coding etc. Which can be found.

But that'd have to be a very decicated RIAA officer.

I'm talking about the music, like how would they know what I uploaded to my Mp3, and how do they enforce this law.

Copyright laws, wrongful download of property that does not belong to you and has not been authorized for any sort of download since I don't think you've recieved the author's consent to listen to it. They can simply check your computer under conditions that they have enough proof and cause to believe you've been pirating music. If you're found to, you'll probably be tied up in a whole court case. The government enforces the copyright laws by fining people and punishing them. The weird thing is that it's not illegial to download music in Canada, as long as you don't share them.

My cousin was an intense Kazaa user and when she downloaded like over 1000 songs or something, she got fined. Don't know how much, but she didn't get thrown in jail or something.

Downloading isn't technically illegal as you are simply being 'given' a file by somebody else, free of charge. By law you are allowed to back up your software (or songs, I believe) by making one copy of it. It's almost impossible to prove that someone downloaded a file which they didn't own - people rarely keep receipts and could simply say that the original copies were lost/stolen and they were therefore glad that they had the 'backup' copy.

Uploading is illegal however, as you are effectively distributing stolen goods.

If i buy macromedia flash and want to share it to all my homies all over teh globe then the gov can bit me ya understand?

Lol

What i mean is: Im a kid and i aint paying for crap.

-Legacy

I think you're allowed to make a certain amount (Like 4 or something) and if you get to a number high enough then they can say you're trying to distribute them. Like drugs!

I think to check if you have illegal music or not would just be if you had the program or not.

The simple way to avoid all the hassle and worry, move to a different country.

You know what's fun to do? Download one of those illegal music downloaders that have a pay version. Then, with the free version, download the pay version.

Loooolz. It'd be fun if you get fined lolz

Yeah looooolz......to bad i did it before and nothing happened to meLOL!!!!!

Lolz... lucky... I heard this girl did it and she got fined 3 million dollars!!!!!!!

Do you know how they found out?