Is downloading tv shows illegal/immoral?

[rudeguy]

Inspired by all the other tv threads.

Is downloading tv shows via torrent or any other non approved way illegal? What about immoral?

 

[MichaelD]

/lawnchair
/popcorn

 

[boochi]

yes

 

[Beev]

I imagine it's pretty explicitly illegal. Immorality is based on your perception, though, so that parts up to you.

Isn't immoral to me. /shrug.

 

[boochi]

not immoral if the tv show includes commercials

 

[DesiPower]

Yes, don't do it.

ttiwwp

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

How is this even a question?

 

[Saint Nick]

IMO, it is a gray area. With the advent of personal recording since the 70s with magnetic tape devices (VHS, casette), people have been able to record things for a while. It didn't seem to be a big problem back then, but then again, the internet has changed everything.

Someone who doesn't own a TV or a media recorder can just log onto the internet and get it from their buddies online or through a torrent tracker. I would say that distribution is a larger concern for them rather than the act of just recording it. If you would just record it and never distribute it, I guess that's not a problem in my eyes.

 

[rudeguy]

How is this even a question?

Read the cable threads.

People admit to doing it openly here. I'm confused because I thought it was both but it seems as though I am in the minority.

 

[apac]

OK, I've had this question for a while. I prefer having content in digital form because I can easily access all the content on my media pc, have mirror backups, etc. If I buy a bluray of a movie/TV show, is it legal for me to go download a bluray rip of that same movie?

It's faster/easier to download a rip than to rip it myself. Of course no torrents because uploads cannot be disabled.

 

[Aharami]

How is this even a question?

by him placing a question mark at the end of his sentence.

 

[Skel]

by him placing a question mark at the end of his sentence.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
That made me laugh

 

[rudeguy]

by him placing a question mark at the end of his sentence.

This is a valid point and must be explored deeper.

 

[jme5343]

NBC told my ISP it was, so they shut my service off after they learned I was dowloading episodes of The Office. When I called to ask what was up, they said they received a letter and told me to delete the torrent program and the files while I was on the phone with them. Then they turned it back on and said if it happened again, they wouldn't restore my service.

I learned my lesson.

Now I use an ip blocker.

 

[ultimatebob]

Illegal? Yeah, probably in most countries. Immoral? Only if you're reselling the episodes without commercials for a profit.

 

[lozina]

I feel as long as you already have a subscription to the channel that the show was aired on, then it should be fine. So for example if you have AMC and you download a show from AMC, what's the harm? You're a paying customer to their broadcasts.

But if you don't have HBO and download HBO shows that would not be nice.

 

[IronWing]

Immoral. Watching TV is wasting your life.

 

[Lifted]

Read the cable threads.

People admit to doing it openly here. I'm confused because I thought it was both but it seems as though I am in the minority.

If I can pickup tv stations with an antenna, record them, and play them back whenever i want, how is downloading them from the internet any different?

Had you been more specific and asked if downloading premium non-commercial television, or other shows not broadcast over the public airwaves, is illegal or immoral, your post might have actually made some sense and been worth discussing.

 

[rudeguy]

If I can pickup tv stations with an antenna, record them, and play them back whenever i want, how is downloading them from the internet any different?

Had you been more specific and asked if downloading premium non-commercial television, or other shows not broadcast over the public airwaves, is illegal or immoral, your post might have actually made some sense and been worth discussing.

I didn't limit it because I was asking how people felt.

 

[Beev]

I didn't limit it because I was asking how people felt.

I personally don't care about immorality. I'm completely apathetic to that "argument."

 

[rcpratt]

I pay a ridiculous amount every month for cable, so no, I do not feel bad about downloading TV shows that I am already paying to watch.

 

[waggy]

yes it is against the law. but i do not have issues with it.

 

[child of wonder]

It probably is "immoral" in that someone downloading the TV show is not receiving it via a medium that the copyright holder approves of.

However, downloading TV shows is a symptom of the fact that we no longer want the 1980's style of watching TV:

"My show is on at 8pm! I better program my VCR/DVR to record it or stop everything in my life to make sure I'm in front of the TV at 8pm!"

Consumers want to watch things in digital format and on demand. Services like Hulu, etc. help provide that but you're still forced to watch shows after they air.

Once entertainment companies simply offer something like a monthly subscription to have instant access to ALL their content, then we'll see pirating decrease (but ISPs won't let that happen).

Until then, downloading TV shows is a symptom of the problem that consumers can't get TV shows in the method they would prefer.

 

[rudder]

sure it is illegal... immoral? I don't know what the difference would be between downloading a show without commercials or watching a recorded show and skipping commercials.

 

[Childs]

I already pay for cable, its just more convenient to watch shows when I have time. No commercials is a big plus, as I have a HTPC which can record the shows, but I would rather not skip commercials manually. Kinda lazy I know. I do download premium shows from HBO, SHOW, and shows not available in the states that I dont have a subscription for. So I admit its technically wrong, but I do it anyway. If I got a C&D I'd simply stop watching them and wait for them to pop up on Netflix.

As for being immoral, no. Even if it is, no one is perfect.