Is this illegal?

[CyberHustler]

Is it illegal to post links on a forum to the location of torrents / copywrited material hosted on other sites?

example: Someone uploads a whole music album to http://www.zshare.net/ and posts a link to the download page on a forum for someone else to download. Does the forum owner get in trouble?

[DeadFidel]

Please define illegal.

[CyberHustler]

Please define illegal.

Like against the law...

[tehHinjew]

nah they usuly get a kind email from the distributors

[GreyWolf]

As DF said ^^^^^^^^^^

Don't matter if it is "illegal" - any decent prosecutor dealing with this area would consider any tools he can use to encompass winding in as many parties to the main offense as possible. That may include anyone who "enabled" the offense to take place.

Whether that is likely to happen is probably remote - prosecutors have more urgent priorities and relevant things to do.

[HouseHead]

Look like there is alot of traffics right there!

[TeenCat]

i think its about the hosting provider, there are many boards all around with signs "we do not host any files so we are legal", but many boards were shut down even if they dont host anything. its a matter of hosting owners decission i think. but im a newbie and i will be happy to hear more about those kind of things ... looking forward for more

[who]

Facilitating a crime is the same as committing a crime, in many states.

[SmokeyTheBear]

like everything on the net laws are usually applied locally or at the very least in the country of origin.

so theres naturally alot of different answers.

I think a more simpler question and more to the point is

" has any forum ever been charged for "just linking" to material that violates a law "

Forums in general seem to skirt a few laws.. gfy doesnt seem to be worried about the lack of 2257 even though it seems it would apply to them and every picture and video that's posted here
i don't know the answer but i have not heard of any

[RawAlex]

The reasons that torrent sites don't seed material or host trackers is because they know those things are in fact illegal and will get you shut down. The average tracker domain lasts not more than a couple of weeks, and is usually located in china or an east block country with slower reflexes to shut the stuff down.

A chat board tolerating threads like "here is the link to photoshop all cracked and open" are contributing to distribution of copyright material, but the current limits of the legal system and their time means that these guys aren't exactly first in line to get hit. However, those warez and hackz chat boards at the lower ends tend to disappear randomly.

[quantum-x]

Recent legislation in the US set a precedent making linking to illegal content illegal.

[pir8data]

More than likely illegal in the US (hasn't been tested yet in court) but probably a case of 'facilitation'

Illegal in Germany, 100%

Probably not illegal in any other European country

Stop worrying if stuff is illegal. Think more in terms of 'is it likely to be enforced'

makes life MUCH easier, less restrictions ;)

[DamageX]

Recent legislation in the US set a precedent making linking to illegal content illegal.

Link, please?

[mistergardener]

Not illegal in my country.

[Steve Awesome]

Recent legislation in the US set a precedent making linking to illegal content illegal.

Please cite a reference.