The term downloading should be split up into legal downloading and illegal downloading.

Legal downloading is used in everyday activities, for example: checking email or browsing the internet.

Illegal downloading refers to downloading anything protected by the copyright law meaning it can’t be copied, resold or reproduced without the permission of the person or organization who created it.


Legal downloading

Receiving data from the internet is called Downloading. Downloading is the term used when you receive data from a remote system. Downloading the file to your local system for later use. Examples of these systems are a web server, an FTP server or an email server.

Downloading free software or royalty free music are 2 both examples of legal downloading.


Illegal downloading

When downloading media files, this involves copyright law. As you are downloading something, you’re making a local copy of it, effectively breaking the copyright law.

Downloading movies or music illegally are 2 examples of illegal downloading.

Legalized action against unauthorized file sharing has proven effective with centralized networks like Napster for example.

Legalized action against unauthorized file sharing isn’t very effective against decentralized (P2P) networks yet, but the effort is being made to punish people illegally breaking the copyright law by illegal torrenting.


Advice for illegal downloading

While illegal downloading is; well, you guessed it: Illegal…

If you do decide to use illegal downloading, here are a few tips on something to take into account:

Tip 1: Just like you, the artists also need to make money, so if you do download that album of music, and you like it: Give the artist some credit and buy a real album as well.

Tip 2: If you do decide to full-scale download torrents illegally, we do recommend you use a VPN to hide your identity and prevent potential future fines or penalties for breaking copyright laws.


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