Consequences of Downloading Movies Illegally
Illegal downloading of movies is considered theft and like any other crime, it has different consequences. One of the most recent examples of such consequences is the TCYK letter sent to Internet subscribers accused of downloading and sharing copyrighted materials. This letter served as a notice of copyright infringement, and must be responded to immediately so that the recipients do not have to appear in court, have their names shamed, and go through so much expense and hassle.
Here are some more consequences of illegal downloading of movies and other copyrighted material:
* Criminal and civil penalties
Penalties for copyright infringement vary from country to country, but if you’re from the US, the FBI handles the investigation and enforcement of copyright laws here, and violators face up to 5 years in prison and/or fines that could reach $250,000 or even more. In addition to criminal penalties, copyright owners can sue accused infringers, and if the former loses the lawsuit, he should be able to reimburse all of the copyright owner’s lost earnings. The infringer is also required to pay the other party’s legal fees, including attorneys’ fees. In addition, he could be required to pay anywhere from $200 to $150,000 in punitive damages, which is usually determined by a jury.
*Virus
Free torrent sites often contain viruses and adware that could transfer to your device and thereby cause damage to your PCs, phones, tablets, or laptops. This is the reason why downloading movies or TV shows through illegal file sharing sources is often unsafe.
*Loss of benefits of creatives
Lastly and most importantly, you are not supporting the entertainment industry if you choose to download free movies online instead of buying theater tickets or original DVDs. Directors, producers, authors, actors and film crew lose the profit they deserve just because of rampant illegal downloading online. Now, how could these creative people produce other entertainment shows and movies if it doesn’t allow them to earn their fair share of income? These talented and hard-working people have the right to earn properly because they have invested their intellect, time, money and efforts just to entertain the public with quality movies.
So if you don’t want to receive a TCYK letter or be able to contribute to online piracy, choose to watch your favorite movies and shows through legal ways. Aside from this, get involved in the fight against piracy by supporting copyright monitoring websites in any way you can.