Gummint report claims widespread criminality by Internet users

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  Davros on 22/07/2015 - 15:02

  +4

  "It is of course not an illegal act to download a movie, TV series, game or music in Australia provided it is not for a commercial purpose."

  And your evidence is where?

  • 

    juventino on 22/07/2015 - 15:15

    +1

    next I am gonna steal from Woolies. I won't be charged for shoplifting as it is for personal use :)

    Sure there are some who downloads some music and then goes to buy the CDs. They are the minority, more like 2% of the total.

  • 

    scrimshaw on 22/07/2015 - 16:18

    In response to OP's thread title:

    Gummint report claims Widespread Criminality by Internet Users

    Hold your horses: The website also does not seem to suggest that downloading itself is a criminal act. So there is a bit of weasel wording on OP's part.

    There are only very specific circumstances where copyright infringement is unlawful and considered a criminal act. Your average person downloading a movie or song from a website doesn't constitute as criminal, but a person who sells or trades infringed material who knows what he/she's doing will be engaging in criminal acts.

    To be more specific:

    The conduct of a civil or criminal investigation is complex, time-consuming and expensive. Court action is usually reserved for persons or companies that are major offenders or who are at the core of a network of offenders. Breach of copyright is a criminal offence if a person makes, sells, trades or imports an article that infringes copyright in circumstances where they knew or ought to have known of that infringement (s 132(1) Copyright Act 1968). It is an offence to simply distribute an infringing item for the purpose of trade, or to an extent that 'affects prejudicially the owner of the copyright' (s 132(2) Copyright Act 1968).

    Source: Australian Institute of Criminology

  • 

    Evil-Elmo on 22/07/2015 - 20:37

    +1

    This was discussed here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/199756

    This just looks like a rehash of that thread (same OP)…

• 

  noyesmaybeok on 22/07/2015 - 15:13

  If 50% of people don't know what is or isn't legal content, then how can 43% say yes they download illegal content :/

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  cypher67 on 22/07/2015 - 15:35

  Can't tell if OP is taking the piss or serious.
  No one is stupid enough to think downloading the latest Jurassic Park movie is legal provided they only use if for person reasons.
  If it were legal, cinemas would be out of business.
  Long live those warnings that use to pop up before the old videos about the fines associated with piracy.
  Having said that it was an Ok movie and glad I didn't pay to watch it.

  • 

    Evil-Elmo on 22/07/2015 - 20:52

    Having said that it was an Ok movie and glad I didn't pay to watch it.

    If everyone had that attitude then nothing would get made… someone has to pay for it.

    I know I'm in the minority (from the last thread), but I think that if you want to watch it, then you should contribute. If you don't want to pay for it, then don't watch it or wait for it to come out on a free medium (e.g. FTA TV).

    • 

      cypher67 on 22/07/2015 - 22:11

      Its all horse and cart. If they charged me $10-15 to go watch a movie at the theatre, I'd pay it. But Its like $30 a ticket and then they extort you for the food and drink. And there is no money back if its a terrible movie, so why risk it with the crap of late. Cinemas need to move the times, why not make new movies a pay per view. Charge me $50 and let me watch it with my family in the comfort of my own home and at a time that suits me best. Look at how much they made out of the Mayweather and Pacman fight, you cant tell me people aint willing to pay to watch stuff at home.

      • 

        Evil-Elmo on 23/07/2015 - 09:12

        I hear you, and for that reason I don't go to the movies anymore. Instead, I wait for it to come out on blu-ray and then buy it. I've got some blu-rays that are rubbish movies that I wish I'd never bought. However, that's just how it is - if I don't like a meal after I've ordered and eaten it I can't then just walk out of the restaurant and not pay…

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 23/07/2015 - 09:18

        Personally, we like going to the cinema together and make an event out of it. Tickets are damn cheap as long as you avoid Event Cinemas and you can always stuff your pockets/bags/purses with goodies and save getting robbed at their shop.

        Watching a film at home is never, ever the same experience, no matter how big your TV or loud your sound system.

      • 

        Evil-Elmo on 23/07/2015 - 10:41

        @Mattress:

        Watching a film at home is never, ever the same experience, no matter how big your TV or loud your sound system.

        I agree. Although where I think we disagree is that I prefer to watch movies at home. The only downside is you have to wait for the movies to come out (and unless it's something you really want to see, then wait for it to drop to a reasonable price).

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 23/07/2015 - 10:49

        +1

        @Evil-Elmo:

        Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I've got loads of friends who are the same as you.

        I suppose the cinema was such an even when I was growing up (in a pretty broke and broken home) that the polish has never really worn off. Thankfully, the wife came from a similar background and our common love of the cinema and what it evokes is probably what drives the effort.

        Of course, there are many films that I would probably just as easily watch at home for the first time but there are some, such as the forthcoming Stars Wars film that has CINEMA written all over it!

        We do occasionally splash out and go Gold Class but more often than not we pay about $6.50 a ticket down on Brisbane's Southbank cinema. Cheap as chips and free parking too.

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  scrimshaw on 22/07/2015 - 16:15

  Also somehow (not) related, UK law made it illegal to burn CD's for personal use.
  http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/07/ripping-cds-and-m…

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  CheapandUsed on 22/07/2015 - 16:47

  This article has a good write up about the reports use of the work "illegal"
  http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/07/the-governments-copyright-…

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  spychiatrist on 22/07/2015 - 19:45

  Thank goodness for Chromecast! No need to download movies. Just stream the movies…d'oh!

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  [Deactivated] on 22/07/2015 - 22:14

  If my internet wasn't slower than that of the average resident of downtown Aleppo, I'd download all I could. Unfortunately, my third world internet speeds keep me on the short and narrow, as they say.