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hi sir/ma'am:

I would just like to ask if download managers are legal to use? i mean, if i download a video/audio/file from a website using these download managers, won't i be sued? won't there be any copyrighted issues?

i hope to hear from you soon.. Thanks
Posted
Updated 12-Jul-11 7:49am
v2

Of course they are legal; the issue of legality concerns what you are downloading, not how. If it is stolen or copyright property then you are breaking the civil or criminal law (as in your country).
 
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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 12-Jul-11 13:54pm    
I agree (my 5) but the subject appears to be more complicated and contradictory, not by technology, but by legal practice and human's stupidity.

Please see how I answered the question.
--SA
Legally, the way you download the content cannot be limited. If some legal statements try to do it, it's very hard to proof, as you download context anyway, every time you use it, even though the downloaded material is considered to be inaccessible to the user, like in case of streaming media. It does not mean it technically not downloaded albeit in pieces. Many statements are based on failure of the layers to understand the technology and make no sense.

What is really a subject of legal requirement is the use of the content. Some agreements may require you delete the content after use or not distribute.

In real legal practice most ridiculous cases took place, so I would advice you to take caution. Check the legal statements made on site but don't trust them. A site itself may violate some the rights of some other party; it happens all the time. I really don't know what to do in the case when you cannot get sound legal statement or agreement.

—SA
 
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v3
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Richard MacCutchan 12-Jul-11 13:57pm    
Some very good points in your description, which I had not considered. +5.
Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 12-Jul-11 14:28pm    
Thank you, Richard. Unfortunately, media companies use a lot of money to literally rape any common sense to rob even more money. It does not really benefit artists or listeners/viewers, it's just the robbery well beyond servicing of the society as a middle layer between artists and public. I heard a lot of that from some prominent artists.

In certain cases, they manage to abuse to law (which is specifically weak in this areas in some countries) just by pressing with money spend on layers and lobbying the legislation.
--SA
Member 8033321 12-Jul-11 14:06pm    
uhmm sir, what if i were the one who created the program? won't i be sued for creating such a program that could trigger copyrighted materials to be downloaded? thanks..
Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 12-Jul-11 14:25pm    
Downloading or providing content? Theoretically, nobody could be sued for programming, but could be for providing content or other violations with the use of content.

There were cases convicting a person who delivered information on cracking system protection, but you know, the is kind of legal crime to me. This is more than ridiculous; such programs are often created to help to improve security. Some countries do not have strict or effectively working legal system, or have legal practices abusing any reasonable agreements, for example, where money rule instead of law, de-facto.

What can we talk about if DVD copy software is considered illegal somewhere? This is against any logic, only driven by media companies who use the money which they did not actually create.

--SA

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