Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Using Illegal Movie Downloads Is Just Not Smart

By Ramon Mckee

Technological advances in recent years have seen an increase in the number of home computers in use and hooked up to high-speed internet. These figures correlate to an increase in the download of illegal copies of films. Often people are not even aware that their downloads are in fact illegal, and it is usually the case that people simply do not know what kind of effect their actions are having. It is important, however, to look at this issue and see how industries and individuals are being affected by unlawful movie downloads.

Definition of illegal downloading

Every country has its own laws and regulations with regards to copyrighted material and downloads. This should serve as a basic guide to what may constitute illegal downloading of movies.

If a movie is still playing in the cinemas, or perhaps has not even been released yet, you can be sure that any version you download will be an illegal copy. In most countries, movies are released to DVD three months after theater screenings. Any film that is publicly released via online means before that three month period is over has been obtained and distributed without permission.

One of the most common ways of downloading movies is through file-sharing services. Generally, if an individual provides copyrighted materials to another individual without appropriate permission, that individual is engaging in an illegal activity. In many countries, those people who download this copyrighted material are also deemed to be participating in an illegal activity. Peer-to-peer downloads, such as those obtained through BitTorrents, are usually an unlawful way to obtain movies.

The impact of downloading illegal versions of films

The owners of any film make money through individual sales of that film, either through cinema tickets or movie rentals. If you bypass these methods and download a film without paying for it, you are effectively stealing from those people by preventing them from receiving a profit from distribution of the film. You may not care much if millionaire actors and movie producers miss out on a few extra dollars of profit, but the effect reaches further than that. Your local cinemas and DVD stores also rely on these sales to stay in business. If the problem of movie piracy continues to grow, smaller businesses may not be able to support themselves anymore.

Australian film in particular suffers from this issue. The industry, which is already struggling, is said to lose several hundred million dollars each year because of illegal downloading of films. Australian film makers are greatly limited in their ability to produce more films, by this financial loss. They need viewer support so that they can continue to produce quality films that express Australian culture and identity, creativity and ingenuity.

Can you be prosecuted for illegal downloading?

The answer is yes, downloading illegal or copyrighted material is a punishable offense in a number of countries such as the United States and Australia. In countries where downloading is illegal, individuals can be prosecuted. These people may be fined thousands, even millions, of dollars. Warnings on legal copies of movies will say what the punishments are for such offenses in your country or region.

You can probably appreciate now the problem posed by illegal movie downloads. People from around the world can be affected by your choices, from movie producers to DVD retailers and cinemas. And don't forget that you can be caught, and the fine you receive will definitely affect you. There are enough legal alternatives available that there is no real excuse for illegally downloading films. Support film industries all over the world and purchase legally produced films. - 40732

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