What is Online Content Theft?
PEER TO PEER (P2P) THEFT
A peer-to-peer (P2P) network, such as BitTorrent, is a system that enables Internet users through the exchange of digital files among individual computers or “peers” to (1) make files (including movies and music) stored on their computer available for copying by other users; (2) search for files stored on other users’ computers; and (3) transfer exact copies of files from one computer to another. P2P technology itself is not illegal and may be useful for many legal purposes, but people often use the technology to illegally exchange copyrighted material on the Internet.
If you download infringing content using peer-to-peer, you are often also distributing illegal content, as the default setting of most P2P networks ensures that individuals downloading files from the network are simultaneously uploading files and thus distributing illegal copies of works to other peers in the group, who in turn distribute the files to yet others.
By uploading and downloading copyrighted material on P2P networks you are not only violating the law, you are also potentially exposing your computer and private information to strangers. By allowing strangers to access files on your computer, other sensitive information, such as bank records, tax information and pictures, could also become accessible and put you and your family at risk of identity theft or worse.
Accessing infringing material through P2P networks additionally increases your chances of exposure to viruses, spyware and malware. If you are downloading files with an unknown source, the files you receive may not be what they claim to be and contain content with malicious intent and may be embedded with viruses, or trick you into downloading some.
Research conducted in 2010 by the Internet Commerce Security Laboratory at the University of Ballarat found that 89% of all BitTorrent files were infringing copyright. Please click on the reports below for more information:
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STREAMING AND CONTENT HUBS
Today, the fragmentation of the online market means that streaming sites and illegal content hubs represent a growing share of unlawful conduct.
Streaming theft refers to a form of online content theft that allows users to view unauthorised copyrighted motion picture and television content on demand, without downloading the illegal file. Users generally visit unauthorised websites that either host illegally streamed content or provide links to content hosted illegally on other websites.
Illegal content hubs are web services that host infringing content. They are a simple storage solution and content can be downloaded by anyone with a link to its location. Content hubs often provide financial (or similar) rewards to uploaders of popular files. The more users who download a particular file, the more the original uploader will be paid.
Both hosting unauthorised content and linking to unauthorised content hosted on other websites is illegal.
While there are many websites where consumers can legally view streamed content, there are many illegal streaming sites where operators will solicit users to provide payment to purchase “subscriptions” or “memberships” or otherwise pay for illegal content. These sites often feature advertisements for legitimate products or services alongside illegal streaming of unauthorised movie and television content. They may use trademarks and cover art of well-known studios and distribution companies or provide a plot summary of a movie or a list of the cast of characters. Website operators of such unauthorised sites purposely use these techniques to fool consumers into believing that their websites are legitimate; that’s how they make a profit. It’s called fraud and theft.
When visiting a website that streams video content, remember these tips in deciding whether to use the website to watch your favourite movies and television shows:
Watch for Titles that are “Too New to be True”Movies that have yet to be released in cinemas, or which are still out in cinemas, are not legally available online. If such recent titles are being offered online, they are almost invariably illegal copies.
Trust Your Eyes and EarsIn many cases, the quality of an illegal version is inferior with poor sound and the image can appear blurry or shaky.
Be Cautious When Websites Make Offers that are “Too Good to be True”Be wary of “too good to be true” offers, such as those for “free” content when searching for and purchasing downloads from unfamiliar sites; they typically indicate stolen product. Look out for terms like “Unlimited Movie Downloads,” “100% legal” and “Millions of Files Shared.” Offers for one-time or yearly fees with no details and no contact information should also alert you that you have entered an illegal site. If the site avoids disclosing its location (for example, if there is no address in its contact information), this can also be a sign of an illegal website.
The Australian Government provides some useful information about staying safe online. For more information, click here
HOW TO IDENTIFY INFRINGING SITES ONLINE
Advertising, Surveys and Donations: Both streaming sites and sites facilitating P2P use require money to operate. In order to generate income, ads are often displayed prominently. These advertisements often include pornographic, gambling and ‘get rich quick’ schemes. The site may also prompt you to fill out a survey to gain access to the site. These often require the user to sign up for a premium SMS subscription charging users multiple dollars for every SMS sent and received. Alternatively, the site may request the visitor to donate money to the site to keep the site continuing. Quality Ratings: Sites featuring infringing content often display stars or other rating system to indicate to the user the quality of the audio/visual content.Multiple Sources: Illegal streaming sites will often link to multiple content hubs or direct links for the same movie or TV show. For more information on accessing legal content online, click here
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN USING AN ONLINE STORE
International websites:You may think you’re getting a bargain shopping outside of Australia, but keep in mind, these stores do not lie within Australian jurisdiction and are therefore not covered by Australian law. The Competition and Consumers Act 2010 (Previously known as the Trade Practices Act 1974) protects Australian consumers purchasing content which is sold in Australia, and entitles the consumer to receive a refund for faulty or misleading products. For more information regarding the Competition and Consumers Act, click here
Quality: Websites offering infringing optical discs may feature misspelled words and uncommon phrasing. This is often a sign that the site is offering inferior or infringing products.
Product Descriptions: Legitimate sites and publishers are unlikely to misspell movie titles or performers names and will usually provide distributor information in their product descriptions.
No Contact information: Websites that do not provide a physical address, phone number or company name, indicate that the site is not legitimate.Many unauthorised sites only feature a ‘contact us’ link with a corresponding email address.
Logos: A website that displays the logos of Visa, Mastercard or PayPal isn’t necessarily endorsed by these companies and does not confirm that your payment will be secure. Legitimate websites selling optical discs which belong to AFACT member studios will always display their respective trademarks.
Region codes: ALL AFACT member studios’ optical discs released in Australia are Region 4, with Blu-rays being Region B. Sites selling AFACT member studios’ optical discs that state ‘ALL Regions’, ‘NO Region’ or ‘Region free’ are infringing.
Pricing:If the pricing of AFACT member studios’ optical discs seems too cheap, the title hasn’t been released yet in Australia, or if you can’t get the described box set at your local store then it’s probably not legitimate.
