is File sharing has become illegal???

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by shuman202, Aug 6, 2012.

  1. #1
    hello guys,
    i'm just wondering is running a file sharing business has become illegal business i think all of you know what happened to megaupload
    and most of the key players in such industry are almost closing like
    fileserve and filesonic and the rest are hosting their servers outside USA
    is it risky to run such service???
     
    shuman202, Aug 6, 2012 IP
  2. Snat

    Snat Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    86
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    130
    #2
    File sharing is not illegal - what is illegal is the sharing of copyright files or files you do not have permission to share. I would say it is very risky nowadays, more so if you offer a payment scheme to those you can get a large amount of people downloading their files.

    The ones moving away from the United States for hosting is feeling the threats with what happened with Megaupload but if you was still planning on hosting one - you want to make sure that anything that is illegal in your country and the country the servers are is never even uploaded in the first place and you should not have any issues.
     
    Snat, Aug 7, 2012 IP
  3. robinsagg1

    robinsagg1 Greenhorn

    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    21
    #3
    I agree with you snat taht file sharing is not ill
     
    robinsagg1, Aug 7, 2012 IP
  4. shuman202

    shuman202 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    5
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    145
    Digital Goods:
    1
    #4
    but most of people who run filesharing feeling the threats because of what happened to megaupload i hope the usa government find a solution for such threats especially after the SOAP
     
    shuman202, Aug 7, 2012 IP
  5. StrikeLocal

    StrikeLocal Member

    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    31
    #5
    ^ this!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
    StrikeLocal, Aug 7, 2012 IP
  6. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

    Messages:
    4,564
    Likes Received:
    260
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    300
    #6
    99.9% of what goes on a file sharing sites is illegal...
    You guys know good and well you do not go to file sharing sites to swap puppy photos....
    and megaupload did not get huge traffic from puppy photos, it was because of the illegal files that were shared....
    and swapping files that you do not hold the copyright on is considered illegal...
     
    dscurlock, Aug 7, 2012 IP
  7. EllenSmith

    EllenSmith Active Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    10
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    #7
    many have already failed. try your luck somewhere else.
     
    EllenSmith, Aug 8, 2012 IP
  8. shuman202

    shuman202 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    5
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    145
    Digital Goods:
    1
    #8
    so if i'm thinking to start a file sharing service i should think about something else...
     
    shuman202, Aug 8, 2012 IP
  9. Bayliss

    Bayliss Greenhorn

    Messages:
    84
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    #9
    Good idea - filesharing is being heavily monitored in many parts of the world now, and although illegal downloads are still happening (many by users who don't even realize what they're doing - ie: music downloads by youngsters), I suspect soon we'll see more and more people being fined and even jailed - it's a dying business to be in, not the time to start something like this IMHO.
     
    Bayliss, Aug 31, 2012 IP
  10. EchoDike

    EchoDike Peon

    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #10
    No, it's not illegal. Anti-piracy units just think they are above the law.

    File sharing sites will either move offshore or become a 'file storage' site (like Dropbox) in the USA. I see file storage as being the future, I love Dropbox. However, I don't really see the difference between Dropbox and Rapidshare - so I'm not sure why they seem to class Rapidshare as a 'rogue' website (I guess it's because of it's history).
     
    EchoDike, Sep 1, 2012 IP
  11. Larry Daniels

    Larry Daniels Member

    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    41
    #11
    As long as you don't upload Pirated files, you will be fine.
     
    Larry Daniels, Sep 2, 2012 IP
  12. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

    Messages:
    4,564
    Likes Received:
    260
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    300
    #12
    It does not matter where you host your illegal file sharing, or aka file storage...the us govt gives our hard earned tax dollars to foreign countires
    called foreign aide; the us does this so we can bribe other countries into doing what we would like, or just to be our friend, and if your country
    in on that list that receives money from the us govt; lets just say if you involve the us govt, then there is no place you can hide from them....
    and when i mean you involve the us govt, that means you allow us citizens to visit your illegal site; do not think you are in a safe haven....
    if the us wants you bad enough, then they will get you, but then again, we provide foreign aide to terrorist countries also so the
    terrorists can have jobs while little sally is going hungry because her father can not find work in the us...

    only if i could sing how broke we are, and we continue to provide financial support to the world....

    now you have to ask yourself if the risk is worth it...I would say if you have
    to move so deep underground to hide from the us, and always looking over
    your shoulder, then you probably already know the answer to the question...
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2012
    dscurlock, Sep 18, 2012 IP
  13. _matthew_

    _matthew_ Peon

    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #13
    To answer OP: yes. It is risky. You have to do everything to appear legit from day one. This means actively scouring your product for illegal warez and other copyright stuff. Just saying that you don't host the illegal downloads is not enough. Providing links to illegal stuff is probably illegal. The finer points vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. But in general the big studios, RIAA, and the software and game makers are pulling the strings of the governments and trade groups. If you're the one profiting in any way (even if it's just clout) from illicit files moving around then you're gonna get a warrant.
     
    _matthew_, Sep 18, 2012 IP
  14. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

    Messages:
    4,564
    Likes Received:
    260
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    300
    #14
    I am not certain what the laws are concerning linking only, but in my opinion, that person is just as guilty as the party that is hosting
    the illegal files, because without linking, their site would not go very far in search engines, and those that are linking are helping the pirates...

     
    dscurlock, Sep 18, 2012 IP
  15. Business Attorney

    Business Attorney Active Member

    Messages:
    621
    Likes Received:
    33
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    70
    #15
    I like Dropbox but I would never try to get into that business. With Google (Google Drive) and Microsoft (SkyDrive) offering large amounts of free space to average users and other giants like Amazon and Apple with file storage offerings, it is hard to see how a small independent file storage site will survive, let alone be profitable.
     
    Business Attorney, Sep 19, 2012 IP
  16. The Content Authority

    The Content Authority Peon

    Messages:
    127
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #16
    Shuman202,

    Good question. File sharing sites in and of themselves are not illegal, but often they contain illegal content like copyrighted material. It is risky to host such a site because it may be difficult to monitor what users are uploading. The owner of a site is ultimately responsible for the content contained within the site, so someone hosting this type of site could be setting themselves up for legal problems. Here are some useful links:

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=966404
    http://www.cio.wisc.edu/security-filesharing.aspx

    Hope this answers your question,

    Shawn
     
    The Content Authority, Sep 19, 2012 IP
  17. quiz

    quiz Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,383
    Likes Received:
    17
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    128
    #17
    Its not illegal so as long as you make sure your website doesn't contain copyrighted content its fine. But its not only for file sharing websites, its for every website that contains copyrighted content.
     
    quiz, Sep 20, 2012 IP
  18. BusinessH

    BusinessH Greenhorn

    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    #18
    sharing Copyrighted materials is illegal!
     
    BusinessH, Sep 24, 2012 IP
  19. indiasbull

    indiasbull Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    984
    Likes Received:
    17
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    130
    Articles:
    1
    #19
    sharing porn or copyright material might be illegal, rest dont about other activities also file sharing not giving much money these days as they giving before.
     
    indiasbull, Sep 24, 2012 IP
  20. Andres Reo

    Andres Reo Peon

    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #20
    No it is not illigal till someone is sharing a file which he/she dont have permission for..
     
    Andres Reo, Sep 25, 2012 IP