Links to Illegal Material are Illegal?

[AP_piano295]

The website www.tv-links.co.uk has been shut down and the operator has apparently been arrested. This site was basically an index of links to movies and tv shows.

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2195407,00.html#article_continue

Feelings on pirated material aside it seems odd to me that simply showing people where to find something that breaks the law is actually against the law.

[xUKHCx]

Does that make your post illegal ;).


As to the legalities that is something under test in this case.

[SMM]

The website www.tv-links.co.uk has been shut down and the operator has apparently been arrested. This site was basically an index of links to movies and tv shows.

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2195407,00.html#article_continue

Feelings on pirated material aside it seems odd to me that simply showing people where to find something that breaks the law is actually against the law.

I do not know the facts in this case and are low on my scope of interests. I so know that facilitating a crime is is a crime in and of itself. If someone was to publish a step-by-step instruction manual for creating a dirty bomb, and provided links to where one could get the materials, I think they are guilty of facilitation, even thought they were not the one who set it off in Macy's at Christmas.

I have been in some debates about piracy, here at MR. There seems to be a group of younger members who do not see anything wrong with content piracy. As far as I am concerned, it is stealing, just like any other kind. Their rationalization seems to center around a perceived rip-off, being perpetuated by corporations, involved in world-economy conspiracy. While I think there is some truth to this, it is not a license to steal.

In summary, if someone was facilitating the commission of a crime, they are probably going to have legal problems. If a thief, using their information, were to rip someone off for a sizable amount of money, they should not be charged for a larger crime (IMHO). In other words, the crime should be for straight facilitation (or whatever the actual law broken is).

[mactastic]

I do not know the facts in this case and are low on my scope of interests. I so know that facilitating a crime is is a crime in and of itself. If someone was to publish a step-by-step instruction manual for creating a dirty bomb, and provided links to where one could get the materials, I think they are guilty of facilitation, even thought they were not the one who set it off in Macy's at Christmas.

I have been in some debates about piracy, here at MR. There seems to be a group of younger members who do not see anything wrong with content piracy. As far as I am concerned, it is stealing, just like any other kind. Their rationalization seems to center around a perceived rip-off, being perpetuated by corporations, involved in world-economy conspiracy. While I think there is some truth to this, it is not a license to steal.

In summary, if someone was facilitating the commission of a crime, they are probably going to have legal problems. If a thief, using their information, were to rip someone off for a sizable amount of money, they should not be charged for a larger crime (IMHO). In other words, the crime should be for straight facilitation (or whatever the actual law broken is).
There is still a fair amount of grey area though. Take, for example, someone who publishes an exploit to an OS that allows a hacker to write malicious code. The intent of the original publisher may have been to provide warning to the OS manufacturer that they needed to address a security flaw; yet someone using their information could potentially claim their actions were facilitated by the person publishing the exploit.

[AP_piano295]

I can understand peoples feelings on piracy but the fact remains I dont have the money for Tivo and I rarely have the time to watch episodes of shows during the week when theyre on TV so I watch them online it's not legal but I do it. It's stealing but I still do it because I dont want to spend 2 dollars on iTunes to buy something I will only ever watch once and that I could get for free if I just had time on thursday nights.

I also dont feel even a little bad about it the content is provided free to the public, and since I am yet to buy something because a commercial told me to I dont feel like I'm really taking anything from the TV companys.

[SMM]

There is still a fair amount of grey area though. Take, for example, someone who publishes an exploit to an OS that allows a hacker to write malicious code. The intent of the original publisher may have been to provide warning to the OS manufacturer that they needed to address a security flaw; yet someone using their information could potentially claim their actions were facilitated by the person publishing the exploit.

In that example, why not just email the manufacturer and tell them, rather than announce it openly to the public (where those with bad intent can get access to it)? To me, that would be a much more responsible way to deal with that.

Ironically, you have chosen to use a topic in your example, with which I take a very negative view on (not suggesting anyone else here is required to share it, understand). I would definitely charge anyone for providing a security exploit to aid others in crafting viruses. No compromises for this.

[LethalWolfe]

I can understand peoples feelings on piracy but the fact remains I dont have the money for Tivo and I rarely have the time to watch episodes of shows during the week when theyre on TV so I watch them online it's not legal but I do it. It's stealing but I still do it because I dont want to spend 2 dollars on iTunes to buy something I will only ever watch once and that I could get for free if I just had time on thursday nights.
VCR

...and since I am yet to buy something because a commercial told me to I dont feel like I'm really taking anything from the TV companys.
If you believe that you are being influenced/informed more than your realize.


Lethal

[Rodimus Prime]

I think it is all about intent. On a site that full of links to a pirated material the intent is pretty clear. They are giving access to pirated material with out hosting it themselves. It is no different that how Napster got sued and lost back in the day. Napster did not it self host anything it just supplies the bridge.

[Markleshark]

I've always seen TV content as a bit of a grey area. If I miss an episode, 9 times out of 10 I may have to wait till the end of the season to buy the DVD or a DVD may never appear of the season.

I could just as easily record something onto a DVD or tape, so just because someone else is doing this for me? I don't know...

[AP_piano295]

VCR


If you believe that you are being influenced/informed more than your realize.


Lethal

If I record it with a VCR i'm going to fast forward through the commercials so I still fail to see how I'm hurting anyone by watching it online...

[LethalWolfe]

If I record it with a VCR i'm going to fast forward through the commercials so I still fail to see how I'm hurting anyone by watching it online...
You said implied you'd record the shows if you had a Tivo so I was just offering up an alternative way to record the shows.


Lethal