Stop with the downloads/warez sections already!

I'm sorry, but it's annoying to see yet another gaming or general discussion site offer blatantly illegal downloads and torrents (nothing against either downloads or torrents in general, just their sometimes use for illegal purpose) as one of their traffic drawing ideas.

Do any of the admins of these kinds of sites realise how screwed they are when someone contacts their host or sends some legal letter to them? I can't be the only one growing tired of people offering things like full movies and TV shows on these kinds of forums when they have NOTHING to do with the topic in the first place, pretty much go straight into illegal activity and such like.

You know exactly what kinds of sites I mean here.

 

They do that because they can not think of legitimate ways to promote their sites.

 

Yeah, I usually sigh when I see them, especially when it totally doesn't fit the forum's topic.

 

I agree 100%!!!

The biggest problem with people who do this with their sites half the time don't even think they're doing anything illegal, and they will argue and defend their position to the end (or at least until the feds get them).

But you also need to think of the mentality today. So many forum owners get pissed when someone has the GALL to charge for mods that they've spent hour after hour, day after day creating these mods.

If it benefits them in the short-term, they don't care about the consequences.

 

That's exactly what I thought. To an extent, because some people are greedy, it half works in some cases, unfortunately.

I know what you mean there. Reminds me of those torrent tracker sites a few months back that would pretty much defend it to the end. Oh, and I don't like paid mods, but it doesn't mean I'll just steal them and offer them for download for free. No, I'll just use something else, if it exists, or nothing at all or custom, if said solution doesn't exist.

The last point you said sums it up perfectly.

 

They probably have something in their Terms of service saying any sites/links that are posted is not represented with XXcompany and can not be held for illegal rights..

But yeah, it is kinda annoying..

 

RRT - Real Rap Talk - Fastest Growing Forum On Internet & Where My Dinner Be At?

^HOW do sites like that get away with it?

 

^Until they get reported or caught. I haven't seen such sites last long, or many before 2006 or so start up time. Maybe they're using offshore hosting, aka in some country with lax copyright laws. If they're in the USA... they're a tad screwed in the long run.

 

And if the downloads weren't bad enough, they have the biggest avatars and signatures in the history of forums.

 

So you guys think these kind of people are bad?

You know, I don't applaud the stealing a copyrighted software or application, but a T.V. Show that might not be available in some countries is another thing.

What do you guys think of there kind of people? About who they are as a person.

 

okay?

 

I provide Top Gear to my members in a Members Only area. Why, cause it's a lot easier for them to just download the file than deal with a torrent. It's a lot faster for them as well. In the US TOP Gear is shown on broadcast TV but a year after it's run in the UK and with commercials making it 48 min instead of the 60 min the BBC proffers meaning 12 min is cut.

Is it legal?

I have no idea. I get mine off FinalGear.com which has been around and providing Top Gear and Fifth Gear episodes since 2003. You think in that time if the Beeb has issues the site would be gone as it hosted in the UK.

 

I HAVE A DOWNLOAD SECTION

but could it get me in alot of trouble?

we have rules saying we are not held responsible for content and it's unmoderated!

however i may scrap it and just keep the porn forum?

 

You cannot say that you're not responsible for breaking the law. It doesn't work that way. If you allow it and promote it then you are responsible and you are the one that will pay in the end if there is someone else's intellectual property on your site.

Youtube (under Google) tried to pull the "We're not responsible for what people upload" line as well. It didn't stop over $10 billion in lawsuits being filed.

And for the other question up there. If the television show or movie is not available in your country and you host it, than you are most likely breaking copyright laws as well as international treaty and trade laws. You should be help accountable for it.

Personally, I don't download music, software or any media unless it is from a legitimate source. If I were to do so, than I would be teaching my children that is is okay to be a thief and to steal from others. I wouldn't participate at a website that offered such services either because participation implies consent and acceptance. Every song we have in our library, every movie, DVD, VHS tape, every application on our computers. All acquired legitimately. My personal self-opinion doesn't allow me to steal.

 

Wayne, that depends entirely on what country you are in. Example, in China you are not breaking the law by hosting these. Same for Sweden, Germany, Denmark, etc etc.

I help run a WoW private server and we are protected from the DMCA because we are hosted entirely in countries that do not recognize US law.

Frankly, I feel the internet has lost it's way. It was created to share freely and now it is a mirror of the failed US monetary system. Do people have the right to sell things, sure? Sure, but tossing people in jail for sharing information with others is shameful. Thankfully, this behavior is confined to the US, Japan , UK etc. and hasn't spread like a plague.

 

It's not just a legal thing though, it's also a community management thing. What's the point of a gaming forum allowing you to download movies or TV shows? Or such from a general forum? It's not at all related to the topic, and quite frankly, looks more like a cheap bid for popularity, regardless of legality.

As for the World of Warcraft private server thing (assuming that's what WoW means, right?)... that seems more like a game terms thing than a specifically seen as illegal thing. Point is, regardless of legality, offering 'warez' sections is basically sacrificing your forum topic in many instances as a cheap grasp for visitors, similar to adding a porn forum for similar purposes (which I've also seen done by these kinds of sites...)

 

Without going deeply into the topic, you're wrong that the internet is reflecting a "failed US monetary system". Although, I do agree that our system is da 1337 phailyur.

But we're talking about intellectual rights. Someone worked hard on that code, and you feel that because it's on the internet, it should be free. You want EVERYTHING to be free. That's 10x worse than our current economy. Yes, some things should be free, but if the devs felt that people should support them for creating the awesome product that you're illegally taking for granted, then that's their right.

I honestly hope that you find stealing a BMW wrong, just because someone wanted to have a nice car but doesn't.

 

The internet was created for the secret and secure exchange of information between the United States Military and the laboratories and universities that it paid to do research. You should research Darpanet, the forebear of the internet. It was commercialized because Congress knew there was money to be made on it.

To me it doesn't matter if you're hosting outside the country. You're still breaking the law. If you don't agree with the law than move somewhere where you do agree with it or work to change the law.

 

Lol - I completely agree with those saying it is a cheap publicity stunt - most people who have a downloads section find their sites being more popular than others because they have the downloads section so people sign up to download - even those that require 5-10 posts before you see the downloads section.

Those who require posts before hand think their site is striving however most are just posting the required threads needed to see the downloads and then never post again while reaping the benefits of downloads.

There are some that require you to post thanks or something before you can see the download link - they are only raising in posts because people are posting thanks to get the downloads.

I think it is pathetic, against the Law and such sites should be closed down.

In regards to what Wayne said about moving to a country which laws you agree with it made me laugh to find out there was a huge drug raid in Amsterdam haha - I had always thought if I wanted to let go of life for a couple weeks to visit there and have a drug and sex filled week abroad so when i saw about the giant drug raid in amsterdam it made me laugh haha.