Limewire music thingy - legal or not?

[MikeyT]

My 14yo son has jumped on my new Mac and began downloading all sorts of 'music' using some thing called Limewire - is this legal? He's not paying anything for them as far as I know - and I know nowt about downloading music from the net. Turned his nose up at iTunes because it costs apparently.

I thought all this 'music for free' thing had changed since the Napster days ... shows how old I am I suppose that I don't understand any of it!

I watched him do it the other nght and it just seems to search the net for available tracks to download and thn you just choose one. Is it that simple? Seems to good to be true if it is. Read something in the paper a while back about some mother got charged a grand or so for songs her daughter had downloaded from the net without paying anything ...

Are we gonna get a knock at the door ... ?

[Jinx]

Nope its not legal - unless those that are hosting the files own the copyright and wish to distribute over a peer to peer network.

Of course the only time I have used limewire is to share my own work.

honest gov, cheif your 'onour

[rsvmilly]

Whilst there are some free MP3s on the interweb, I would say it is very unlikely your son is downloading legally.

Best dob him in.

[anonymous-user]

MikeyT said:

Are we gonna get a knock at the door ... ?

I think it's the uploading rather than the downloading that can get you in trouble.

For the Mac Acquisition is a MUCH better music site. IMHO

www.acquisitionx.com

[nubbin]

Limewire is a P2P or file sharing progamme - and breaches copyright. However, it is one of many, and if it is closed down, another will take it's place. In theory, anyone using P2P programmes is also in breach of copyright and could be prosecuted. I have been told that some of the downloads can be a bit patchy or broken up, so it may not be the best sharing programme, but I don't use it so I wouln't know.

[Marki]

nubbin said:

I have been told that some of the downloads can be a bit patchy or broken up, so it may not be the best sharing programme, but I don't use it so I wouln't know.

Neither do i , but i have been told the downloads are ok

[Plotloss]

From a legal perspective, I wouldnt lose any sleep to be honest, there are millions of people at it.

What I would say however is that LimeWire doesnt just contain music. So as a 14 year old boy, with what amounts to a big dictionary, hes perhaps going to look up the words we all did, so one to keep an eye on.

[nubbin]

Marki said:

nubbin said: I have been told that some of the downloads can be a bit patchy or broken up, so it may not be the best sharing programme, but I don't use it so I wouln't know. Neither do i , but i have been told the downloads are ok

[nubbin]

Plotloss said:

What I would say however is that LimeWire doesnt just contain music. So as a 14 year old boy, with what amounts to a big dictionary, hes perhaps going to look up the words we all did, so one to keep an eye on.

One word he may be looking up is pornography.....

[Marki]

Plotloss said:

What I would say however is that LimeWire doesnt just contain music. So as a 14 year old boy, with what amounts to a big dictionary, hes perhaps going to look up the words we all did, so one to keep an eye on.

Thats right i have been told there are a lot of porn vids on there

[MikeyT]

I was going to show him this thread until the pornography was mentioned ...

Thanks for the comments - if millions are at it then what the hell ... I'd best keep me eye on him though ...

[Marki]

MikeyT said:

I was going to show him this thread until the pornography was mentioned ...

So you think your 14 year old Son has not stumbled on to the fact that you can download porn from Limewire

[LRdriver II]

maybe he hasnt had "the talk" with his kid about the birds and the bees.. about time you sit down with him, crack a can of Stella or two and download some of the finest the web has to offer.

[MikeyT]

Marki said:

MikeyT said: I was going to show him this thread until the pornography was mentioned ... So you think your 14 year old Son has not stumbled on to the fact that you can download porn from Limewire

I bloody hope not! No, the Mac is downstairs and so far me and th missus have been around when he's been on it - only from last weekend!

[andy mac]

I use Limewire, and have had no problems with it quality wise. It is definately illegal though. It does seem to be the quickest out there as well.

[kerfuffle]

MikeyT said:

Marki said: MikeyT said: I was going to show him this thread until the pornography was mentioned ... So you think your 14 year old Son has not stumbled on to the fact that you can download porn from Limewire I bloody hope not! No, the Mac is downstairs and so far me and th missus have been around when he's been on it - only from last weekend!

I'd wash the curtains if I were you

[Marki]

[chim_knee]

nubbin said:

Plotloss said: What I would say however is that LimeWire doesnt just contain music. So as a 14 year old boy, with what amounts to a big dictionary, hes perhaps going to look up the words we all did, so one to keep an eye on. One word he may be looking up is pornography.....

Nah, you have to be far more specific nowadays... so I've been told.

[Tyre Smoke]

I would say it's illegal but about as illegal as the C90 cassette tapes you record vinyl albums onto in the 70's and 80's.

Anyone remember the logos "illegal recording is killing music" on the back of album covers?

It's been around for years and will continue to be in one form or another.

[sadako]

Limewire has illegal content to offer but is also quite hard to both trace and shut down. It does not rely on a central server like napster did. You can get everything on there pretty much.

He probably knows about the porn and knows where your hidden porn stash is and knows who at school is selling it; Just like every other 14 year old. Part of growing up.