| Nov 11, 2004 |
Introduction
Currently there are millions of people around the world downloading anime on a daily basis. Are you one of them? If so there are some things you should be aware of. I have seen the question brought up quite a lot in forums by some innocent users, is what theyâ??re doing illegal? To put it simply, yes it is illegal no matter if it is licensed or unlicensed bottom line is your breaking the law. Now, if you ask the question is anything going to happen to me for downloading anime? The answer is not as definitive, which is most likely not. The Copyright laws are very vague from country to country and there is no international copyright law in effect at the moment, only a set of guidelines which are by no means the end all and be all on this issue.
The bottom line is that no matter where you live you are in one way or another participating in copyright infringement. Depending on where you live is the variable of whether or not you would have any consequences for your actions. If you say, lived in Finland and were to download fan sub and distribute the works you would not be breaking any laws in Finland and subject to no reprimand. If you lived on the Ivory Coast and did any of the things the Finnish person is able to do, you would be subject to the loss of one of your limbs. So you say you are living in Finland and were the person who fan subbed and shared the file with that unlucky person who now has only one leg living in the Ivory Coast. You broke no laws in your country but was able to help someone break a law in their own country. Is it still right to do even though your breaking the laws of other countries? Now its no longer an issue of just law but the subject of morals and ethics.
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