Isnt taping and selling illegal? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Hawkeye33 · 07-16-2003, 01:59 PM

I wwas wondering, there are some shows I really wanna see but the only way to get them is from tapes people taped off of the tv!
Is that illegal? I mean, please post a site that will specify if its legal or not?

jonathan c herron · 07-16-2003, 05:46 PM

no it is called
The Sony Home video Recording act and the Fair use act of title 17 of
the us cpyright laws state that Fair Use means not for commercial gain.

FAIR USE MEANS.

1. you are not getting any financial compensation
2. you are not trading multiple copies of the same tape
3. you are not recieving any monies related to this trade.
4. You are not trading something that is currently in theatres that will
cause financial damage to the copyright holder. You are not damaging
or detriemtally affecting the copyright holders finacial situation
by trading 1 videotape.

hope this helpes
jonathan c herron

Agent 13 · 07-17-2003, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jonathan c herron
no it is called
The Sony Home video Recording act and the Fair use act of title 17 of
the us cpyright laws state that Fair Use means not for commercial gain.

FAIR USE MEANS.

1. you are not getting any financial compensation
2. you are not trading multiple copies of the same tape
3. you are not recieving any monies related to this trade.
4. You are not trading something that is currently in theatres that will cause financial damage to the copyright holder. You are not damaging or detriemtally affecting the copyright holders finacial situation by trading 1 videotape.

hope this helpes
jonathan c herron

Well said, Jonathan. By the way, welcome to the board!

Jen

Hawkeye33 · 07-17-2003, 03:48 PM

I mean buying them.

Agent 13 · 07-17-2003, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hawkeye33
I mean buying them.

I am no expert by any means, but this question comes up on occasion on this board. From what I've gathered, it is not illegal to buy but it is illegal to sell (i.e. bootlegs, selling for higher prices than necessary, etc.).

You will find lots of ebay and yahoo auctions for stuff taped from off of TV as well as out-and-out bootlegs (stuff copied off of professionally manufactured videos).

Selling stuff taped off of TV isn't legal but it isn't illegal either. Either way, as far as I'm aware, no individual has ever been convicted in a court of law for selling copies of the stuff they've taped off of TV (a one man operation). Charging for labor a wear and tear on your equipment is one thing. Charging outlandish prices, like $20 per tape is ridiculous and enters into illegality.

I don't know if you'll ever find a link where this is finely described. I've come to my conclusions by putting two and two together. There's a fine line, and you need to decide what is right for you, where to draw your own line for conscience' sake.

Jen

jonathan c herron · 07-18-2003, 03:08 AM

hi
thanks for the welcome

good question
it is illegal to sell tapes and to buy them
to sell to cover the cost of the tape and postage is not really
selling so that is ok
hope this helps

07-16-2003, 01:59 PM	#1
Hawkeye33 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 16, 2003 Posts: 25	Isnt taping and selling illegal? I wwas wondering, there are some shows I really wanna see but the only way to get them is from tapes people taped off of the tv! Is that illegal? I mean, please post a site that will specify if its legal or not?

07-16-2003, 05:46 PM	#2
jonathan c herron Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2003 Location: harrisaburg illinois Posts: 57	no it is called The Sony Home video Recording act and the Fair use act of title 17 of the us cpyright laws state that Fair Use means not for commercial gain. FAIR USE MEANS. 1. you are not getting any financial compensation 2. you are not trading multiple copies of the same tape 3. you are not recieving any monies related to this trade. 4. You are not trading something that is currently in theatres that will cause financial damage to the copyright holder. You are not damaging or detriemtally affecting the copyright holders finacial situation by trading 1 videotape. hope this helpes jonathan c herron

07-17-2003, 03:48 PM	#4
Hawkeye33 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 16, 2003 Posts: 25	I mean buying them.

07-18-2003, 03:08 AM	#6
jonathan c herron Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2003 Location: harrisaburg illinois Posts: 57	hi thanks for the welcome good question it is illegal to sell tapes and to buy them to sell to cover the cost of the tape and postage is not really selling so that is ok hope this helps