Home
Assignments
Bookmarks
Piracy and copyright
Upgrade for more content
Downloading someone's content without their permission, or sharing it with someone else, is called __________.
Hi Lina! Want to watch the new horse princess movie? What? That movie is only out in theatres! How can we watch it on your laptop?
I found this website where people upload all the latest movies and music. I can download as much as I want, for free! But isn’t that... stealing? I don’t think so… is it?
Like Maria, you may think it’s okay to watch - stream - any media you find online. It can be tempting to download files onto your device from sites that claim to have all the newest shows or movies, for free! But there are many streaming services and download sites that use stolen content. Downloading someone’s content without their permission — or sharing it with someone else — is called "pirating”, and it is illegal. But you can’t own a movie itself, the same way you can own a physical thing like a house or car.
Can it really be stolen? Yes. When you download a movie without paying for it, you are in fact stealing from a person. Someone owns the right to copy and the right to control copying of that movie. They own the copyright.
Copyright is a type of ownership that has no physical form. When you own the copyright, you own the rights to protect your work, and get paid when people use it. In many countries, copyrighted material is marked by special symbols: a C inside a circle. Or, in the case of sound recordings, a P inside a circle. What about photos you take of your dog, or a painting you create?… You would probably feel sad if someone else took these things and used them without your permission.
Good news! When you create something original, you automatically own the copyright. Novels, movies, songs, architecture, and other creative works can all be protected under copyright. But we have to be careful. Sometimes, things we make ourselves can break copyright rules.
If you make a funny video of your dog and want to put a song in the background, you will need to check if the song is copyrighted before you post it. Even if you’re not planning to make any money, make sure you have permission to use someone else’s media. In almost all cases, the right to put works online belongs to whoever owns the copyright. Sites, such as the one Maria used, upload copyrighted content without the owner’s permission. People who use these sites may not realize they’re doing something wrong.
They may think that if the site is easy to find, it must be safe. But the people who run these sites are criminals. They know ways to get around the laws and keep the websites active. When you access something for free instead of paying for it, creators lose profits. The money that should go to them goes to criminal organizations.
And websites with pirated content are some of the most common sources of malicious software - malware - infections on the internet. On these sites, you may encounter computer viruses that can harm your files, or even steal your personal information. Does a website look strange to you? Is it promising free content that would normally cost money? Don’t take the risk if it seems unsafe.
When consuming media online, it’s important to purchase, download, and watch from official and trusted websites. I never meant to do anything bad! I just wanted to watch the new movie... We shouldn’t use that site anymore… but I know a place where we can still watch the movie!