Discussion:
What is the name of your state? New York
I am in the middle of a heated argument, and I'd just like to know if anyone can shed some light on the matter.
I was wondering if it was legal to download television shows (in my case it is Seinfeld) that were broadcast over airwaves, as opposed to cable. There is also some confusion. I was under the assumption that it is legal to download, but illegal to distribute <B>only if there is personal gain involved</B>. So basically,
1) Is it legal to download television shows?
2) Is it legal to distribute them?
Answer:
Under the 'Fair Use' doctrine you can copy each episode for private viewing. You cannot copy to sell, provide screening or other purposes.
Answer:
1) Is it legal to download television shows? Are you talking about downloading using KaZaa, or bitorrent or something like that? As Krispy noted, it is perfectly legal to make yourself a copy of something you saw on TV, whether it came via cable or through the air. If you downloaded the show from the Internet, it may not be legal.
2) Is it legal to distribute them? No. It doesn't matter if you are doing it for free or not, it's illegal.