The risk of getting sued by the RIAA.

How does the risk of getting sued by the RIAA for Bit Torrenting, compare to the risk for file sharing through programs similar to Kazaa and Limewire?

 

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For you after posting this it will be high for all of them

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On the contrary, I don't Bit Torrent or File Share.

 

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I'm not really sure, because I don't know the protocols well enough.

One the one hand, you are connected to a swarm with bittorrent. If anyone from the RIAA joined your swarm, everyone downloading the same file can have their IP address logged. With other filesharing protocols, it's more of a direct connection, so the RIAA would have to download directly from you.

On the other hand, with bittorrent, you don't download the file from one single user, so there may be more of a defense. If I'm not mistaken, in most, if not all, filesharing lawsuits, it's the sharer that's prosecuted, not the downloader. If you are only uploading a small chunk of the file, it may be easier to say you aren't "making available" copyrighted materials. When the system is more distributed, it seems like it might be harder to lay the blame on someone.

Also, there is more of a noted non-infringing use for bittorrent. With limewire or other P2P systems, if you are using it, the prosecutors will assume you are using it for infringing purposes (whether or not you actually are), and coerce you to settle out of court or risk paying a fortune in legal fees to take it to trial.

But I really don't know. I personally know 3 people who got cease-and-desist notices (admittedly not the same thing as a lawsuit) from using bit torrent, on 3 separate occasions. On the other hand, I mainly hear of non-bittorrent users actually getting sued.

No matter how you do it, there is always some risk involved.

 

you can't trace bittorreting...while Kazaa and Limeware are traceable.

 

Draqon, you absolutely can track bittorrenting.

 

What if my ISP uses dynamic IP? Then we are save from detection?

 

Not at all. The ISP maintains records of who was using that IPA at that time.

The only thing that will save you is located between your ears - use it and don't risk major $$$ by stupid file sharing.

 

That depends what ISP you use. Some are more willing than others to divulge your personal info to the RIAA.

 

Sorry, but that's just not true. The RIAA can easily get a warrant for it. The judicial system, for whatever reason, is more than willing to help them.

 

I didn't say they couldn't get your information if they wanted to.

They can, but a lot of times they don't. In some cases the RIAA sends out threats to internet service providers in hopes that they will divulge your info. Sometimes they don't follow up with it. If that's the case, you'll get away with it.

 

That might be true in some cases but the warrant is very easy to get - so I strongly doubt it. I rather think that you've been listening to scuttlebutt from the wrong people.

Would you care to risk a big judgment against you based on those rumors? Not me.

 

Do it from a country that doesn't treat it's people like corporate slaves...

 

Absolutely not. I don't share files. Nor do I claim to give real legal advice over the internet.

 

lucky you
you just got the rest of us on the radar

thanks bud

 

I can find websites that hides my IP, plus I would think the RIAA goes after the easy targets with a static IP and they don't bother to mess with the ISP and ask for warrants and such. They could but it is just easier to go the static way...

 

On a tangent for just a second: why is it that so many of you seem to think the term is "IP?" That stands for Internet Protocol and is incomplete - and is meaningless in regard to a particular device on the Internet. The correct term is "IPA" - Internet Protocol Address. I don't see any of you saying IS for ISP.:shrug:

 

The main difference between P2P clients like Kazaa and Bit Torrents is that torrents aren't a Product or client, it's actually a particular method of distributing files online. Kazaa and other such clients are seen created by a particular body to distribute material that weren't originally policed.

Basically the RIAA can make money off of people for making a client (by sueing), but couldn't from people involved in the development of a GPL distribution system. However this hasn't stopped them and others trying to label Torrent networking sites as the perpetrators of Copyright Infringement, yet it's mentioned time and time again that most don't house actual file, they merely deal in links that they "police" to the best of their ability but is by no means infallable when it comes to copyrighted material.

 

Because NOBODY using it that way:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address

It would be IPa at best, but by saying IP everybody knows what we are talking about. But thanks for pointing it out. Otherwise you were saying I was correct?

 

The Wiki article you linked to clearly shows that when the abbrevation IP is used alone it means Internet Protocol - nothing more. It then goes on to discuss the thing you're talking about - and again clearly calls it Internet Protocol address. (Yes, I could buy "IPa."

I'm not really convinced *NOBODY* says it that way - your version just strikes me as bit of laziness, that's all. It's the same as saying two-thirds of a full name.

And yes, I can see that most of you understand it the way you use it.