Sunday, May 9, 2010

We All Should Help To Prevent Illegal Movie Downloads

By Earl Santana

These days, technology is so advanced that it is more or less commonplace to see one or more home computers in the house, with a high-speed connection to the internet. This has helped illegal movie downloads to become an increasingly big problem. In many cases, people do not even realize that they are downloading material illegally, and most people have no clue as to the impact of these illegal activities. It is, however, an important topic for modern society to be aware of, as illegal downloads affect a huge number of industries and individuals.

Definition of illegal downloading: Every country has its own set of rules and regulations regarding copyrighted and downloaded materials. The following information should give you a rough idea of whether a download is legal or illegal.

Sometimes movie pirates are able to make movies available before download before they have finished playing cinemas, and sometimes before they have even been released in theaters. These copies are always illegal. You will find that legal DVD versions are generally released three months after they have played in cinemas. Where something has been made available before that time, it is guaranteed to have been obtained without the appropriate permissions.

Many sites offer file-sharing that allows you to download movies. Where individuals provide copyrighted material to other individuals without having permission to do so, these people are performing an illegal activity. In many countries, people who download such material are also in violation of the law. So peer-to-peer downloads, such as BitTorrents, are generally not a lawful way of obtaining movies.

Impact of illegal downloading: Whenever a movie is downloaded illegally, the lawful owner of that material is being robbed of profit they would otherwise have received through movie sales. When considered in the context of movie producers or actors who already possess millions of dollars, it may be difficult to see how this is unfair. However, movie makers are not the only ones missing out. In fact, the impact is probably felt most by cinemas and video stores. If the problem becomes worse, it could easily jeopardize smaller, local businesses.

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? Depending on which country you live in, you can be prosecuted for accessing copyrighted or illegal materials. This is particularly true in the US and Australia. Fines of thousands, and in some cases millions, of dollars can be issued for illegally downloading films. Warnings at the start of legally distributed films will advise you as to the punishments for such offenses within 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.

About the Author:

No comments: