Is it legal to share ebooks? hosting them and/or linking them?

Hi all.

I want to know if it is legal if I share ebooks on my site.

I am talking about an ebook uploaded on my server and letting users download them or providing an external link of the ebook so my users can download it that way.

Are these illegal?

 

Unless you have the right to do so, it is illegal.

 

In order to upload and make e-books available for download from your server, you will need to have permission from the copyright owner or resell rights in order to do this. If not, you may be committing an offense. Depending on where your server is located, some countries do not recognize copyrights, and your site may stay alive for some time, but depending on where you are, you may be prosecuted.

 

But what if its just a link to an external ebook? which is not uploaded on my server?

 

If its copyrighted I'd say no its not allowed unless you have written permission from the publisher.

Thats illegal also and called "warez linking".

 

Hi kevydesigns

It all depends in which country you are. Some countries may be in a position to charge you on conspiracy to commit an offence if you only link.

You may want to do some research on that.

 

Yes, it depends on countries... But in the most cases it's illegal.

 

It has never been deemed illegal, people assume it is, but it's not, there has been a few cases on it, but most failed, If you want to do this, get permission from the creator, or host it in a country that doesn't care.

 

Number 1 - You just confirmed what everyone said here - GET PERMISSION FROM AUTHORS

Number 2 - Again you confirmed - HOST IN A COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT COPYRIGHT LAWS.

It has been deemed illegal, it is illegal and will be illegal.

 

Some countries are different than others. You can't just assume, the law is different in Sweden etc..

 

Show me a single case where copyright linkage has had a single person charged with a crime, or they have been guilty and been charged with a civil fine.

There hasn't one, because almost every lawsuit regarding it has been thrown out, I've only seen ONE single case where it has been similar but not exactly to the case and the company WON, and then the appeal WON so in the end it was a big failure and proves it's not illegal.

I'm curious since you know the law so well, so me a SINGLE United States law that makes linking to a copyright file illegal.

 

http://www.linksandlaw.com/linkingcases.htm

You should probably leave DP as your advise may cause serious harm to other webmasters.

 

Only if you own it

 

That is truly one of the draw backs of digital media. You can't legally share it for the most part.