Quote:
Originally Posted by radius
Is small scale copyright infringement really a crime in any of our countries?
People keep saying "theft", "crime" and "criminal" when I think they really should be saying "unauthorized copy", "offense" and "offender".
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Yes, technically it is a "copyright violation" which is a civil offense and not prosecuted by the state/fed in a criminal court. However, if they violator is willfully atempting to profit from the "copyright violation" by for example selling those copies online then criminal procedings can be brought.
Now, to me the "theft" of a single person violating the copyright, for example, Joe Blow downloads a copy of a Harry Potter book the theft is the $20 that they did not pay for a legitamate copy of the book. Many here feel this is a gray area, and it certainly is, since there is no physical book taken there was no cost to print and distribute it. But, the author still put time in to write the book. It must have some value if you d/led it and want to read it.
My feeling, it is theft. I also have a bias since I am a software developer and copying my hard work without paying me certainly feels like a "theft". How would you feel if your hard work was coppied without your permission?
BOb