Can you be sued for watching movies online for free?!
By Link
@BambooPanda13 (867)
United States
July 2, 2010 2:21pm CST
I was reading on Yahoo news that there were sites being seized by the government for hosting links to pirated movies (like people sit in the theatre with a camera at a new movies then upload it to a site, and some sites compile those movie links for people to watch). One of my favourite sites Movies-links.tv was apparently seized. For one, this site does not have anyone directly upload any content to their site! They simply host the links to the site where the video is (weed movies, duckload, movieshare, fairyshare, novamov, etc etc). Second, the article said that they weren't going to go after any people who use the site, at least not now, but are focusing on the site owners. First off, can I get sued just for watching the movies? I DO NOT download them, EVER! I never download these movies to watch them, they are never saved to my hard drive or anywhere else I simply watch them in the internet window on the site. I know this is still sort of like stealing since I'm not paying to go to the movie (though I do go to the theatre to watch all the big movies that come out) but I am never downloading the content or distributing it or anything like that. I just watch it and that is all. So my question is: can people who simply watch the movies by using the links on that site able to be sued for piracy or something? I mean, its sort of like trying to arrest someone who saw a crime happen but doesn't want to come forward. I see these people hosting pirated movies to their sites but I don't do anything about it, I just watch. I don't participate. So I don't see how I can get in trouble. But who knows. I mean, if the people who made the movies were willing to give refunds if you really didn't like their movie, then I would go to the theatre. But I'm not going to waste my money on a movie that I can't tell if its going to be crappy or not before you get to the theatre (like Encounters of the Fourth Kind, BS movie... or even the first Hulk movie, crap).
2 people like this
12 responses
@Bellapop (1279)
•
2 Jul 10
It depends which websites you go to, if you go to one that requires you to download the film even for free it may still be illegal and will be traced back to you. I asked the same question a long time ago when I was trying to watch videos and films on Youtube, apparently, watching films from there is ok as it doesn't require you to download, plus only the uploader would get into trouble. If it was illegal, it would soon be spotted and taken down anyway, so do check which sites you go to, Youtube seems to be ok so far...
@BambooPanda13 (867)
• United States
2 Jul 10
Thanks, I figured anything having to do with downloading the movie is illegal, obviously if it wasn't free it most likely wouldn't be illegal (or the site owners are just ripping people off and giving them the false impression that they are legally watching movies). I watch on movie-links.tv and you don't have to download the movies to watch them. But I also wondered why they are seizing that site because they actually only HOST the links TO the sites that have the videos, yet I didn't see any of those sites mentioned in the article. There is no content uploaded on movies-links.tv just links to the content on other sites, so I wonder why they are being seized? I doubt they could get in much trouble just for compiling a place for the links, right?
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
2 Jul 10
Hi, BambooPanda13. I hope that I won't get sued. My family watches free movies all of the time from movie sites. I think that the person that has downloaded the movie would be the one that is most likely to go to jail if possible. They are the ones that are black marketing the movies. I hope that I won't be responsible for their doings. If this is a crime, then they should not allow free movies sites to be watched. I never download the movies from my computer at all. I just watch it from the internet window just as you do. If they are suing someone, it won't be me and others that enjoy watching free movies online.
1 person likes this
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
3 Jul 10
I guess they weren't that worried about getting seized because they made a new site which was put up rather quickly. Guess they have all the stuff saved so as to be prepared for something like this. That's my favorite site to watch old movies from. Personally I can see why they'd make a big deal about the newer movies but I think they ought to allow the old movies that get shown on tv anyway.
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
3 Jul 10
Sorry. I didn't exactly answer the question. You can't get in trouble as far as I know but some browsers have a private browsing mode so that cookies aren't stored in your history. I'd use that to be on the safe side. I'd not download anything. I've read that some of these kind of sites are kept track of to see who is downloading from them.
@BambooPanda13 (867)
• United States
10 Jul 10
Hi, thanks for answering! I agree, I think the old movies should be okay, especially the ones you can't even find the videos for sale in the store anymore. Either way, I don't download, just watch in the window. Thanks.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
3 Jul 10
well it really doesnt matter if its downloading or just streaming. Its both piracy and piracy is illegal.
but i dont think that they will personally look for the viewers one by one. I think they will just go to the movie streaming/downloading site.
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
2 Jul 10
I don't think you can get in any trouble for just watching the movies. I am pretty sure of that. It sounds like your own heart isn't happy with it since you know it is stealing! I understand that we gotta save a buck here and there though!
You are not the one pirating the movies. I guess though on one hand it's like driving a car you know is stolen. (in a real weak sense!)
You are not the one pirating the movies. I guess though on one hand it's like driving a car you know is stolen. (in a real weak sense!)@BambooPanda13 (867)
• United States
2 Jul 10
I'm not feeling guilty, I just don't want to be sued. I couldn't pay them anyway unless they gave me a job so they would be SOL. If they sent me to jail I would point out it would actually cost the state even more money to put me into jail with real criminals for something so mild instead of waiting for me to get a job and pay them. But I just didn't think it would be fair to sue people for looking at pirated material when they aren't downloading anything themselves.
@ReViewMeMedia (3785)
• United States
26 Aug 10
I don't download because there's plenty of legal sites for me to watch movies on, and if I want a movie, I'll get it from my local library where it doesn't cost me anything and I can keep it for two weeks. If I want to hear a song, I'll just go to YouTube and if I want to buy something then I'll save up money for it and buy it.
They can track your downloading if you use bit torrent, that's why people are being sued for downloading the Hurt Locker.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
3 Jul 10
I'm thinking it's more movie piracy that would be the cause of an investigation or prosecution in the case of online Movies..So long as you're not downloading them or burning them to disk for distribution,you're probably ok..but do read the reports on such cases that are written up or publicised online to make sure what your position is!
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 10
I don't know all the facts but I'm sure that it is illegal to watch movies online that have been pirated. I guess it makes sense to be cautious and carry out any research regarding this. I did hear recently how Internet Service Providers were getting involved and how they were suspending the Internet accounts of their customers that were caught doing things online illegally!
I prefer to err on the safe side myself and I download my movies and music for my ipod touch from itunes. This costs something but it's just so cheap and inexpensive. One thing I cannot afford to do is lose my Internet service as this would be my world coming to an end! Andrew
@smartjack (520)
• India
3 Jul 10
no, don't worry they can't catch you. It is just to scare people from using pirated stuff. Why don't you go and watch the movie in theater. It is better to do that. You will enjoy more. i always prefer watching movies in theater. Hence forth please don't watch pirated stuff because it is illegal. Many people have been caught in the act of selling pirated stuff on the internet and outside. As of now please don't worry about getting caught, but henceforth, be careful.
@babyfaceyo29 (47)
• United States
3 Jul 10
to be honest, I'm not sure if you can be penalized just for watching a video.In a way, the law still haven't caught up with the internet age but if I were you, I would research on the copyright laws every now and then because it may change at any moment.
@marvintechnology (304)
• Philippines
2 Jul 10
Watching or downloading movies for free is really prohibited because it as a part of piracy but nowadays that crime cannot be stopped since the internet started many of web users learned to make things easier online so they get better and better through time. It's just our concerned for the movies and movie makers that whenever we do that it's piracy.
@woodman321123 (356)
• China
3 Jul 10
Actually , sometimes I watch the movies online with my friends .And I seldom download these movies to my hard driver . And sometimes we go to the cinema so that we can encourage the authorised movies .
