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 recipients do not have to appear in court, have their names shamed, and go through so much expense and inconvenience.
Here are some more consequences of illegally downloading 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 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, they should be able to refund the copyright holder’s entire lost profits. The offender is also required to pay the other party’s legal fees, including attorneys’ fees. In addition, he could be forced to pay an amount of $200 to $150,000 in punitive damages, which is usually determined by a jury.
*Virus
Free torrent sites often have viruses and adware that could be transmitted to your device and thus cause damage to your PCs, phones, tablets, or laptops. This is why downloading movies or TV shows through illegal file sharing sources is often not safe.
*Loss of creative profits
Lastly and most importantly, you are not supporting the entertainment industry if you choose to download free movies online instead of buying original theater tickets or DVDs. Directors, producers, authors, actors and film crew lose the profits 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 hardworking people are entitled 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. Other than this, get involved in the fight against piracy by supporting copyright monitoring websites in any way you can.
