Popcorn Time. Am I in trouble?

Forums › Online streaming services › Popcorn Time. Am I in trouble?

yudumcan

84 posts

Master Geek

#179108 26-Aug-2015 15:04

Hi all, I heard about this Popcorn Time app and installed it few days ago and been testing the movies to see if they skip, lag etc. haven't watched anything more then 3-4 min and for the first time last night I watched a full episode of a show without a VPN. I knew it was a torrent site but had no idea I was actually uploading and sharing the content back.
I was just wondering how likely I'd get an copyright infringement notice and if I do do I need to respond or just leave it? I heard that if you reply that means you accept the case?

Cheers

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2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1374699 26-Aug-2015 15:14

Unless the movie industry has suddenly decided to start paying to send notices your chance of getting one is zero.

If you do get one then there is a stand down period before the next notice so you've got plenty of time to stop being so naughty and mend your ways.

sen8or

1789 posts

Uber Geek

#1374700 26-Aug-2015 15:14

You should be in a right state of panic, the FBI will be swooping in soon.......

You have about the same odds at winning powerball three weeks in a row as you do getting an infringement notice for filesharing a movie from NZFACT.

As I have stated in previous posts, not long after the introduction of the Skynet bill, NZFACT met with studio heads about issuing notices. At that time it was made clear the studios could not be seen to accept the requirement to pay $25(?) per notice issued in any market, as such, no notices were ever issued by the movie companies (may have changed recently as this is 2-3 years ago).

If they were seen to accept the fee here, they would be obligated to accept it elsewhere and that would put a significant dent in the cost / benefit of pursuing pirates.

Share away

yudumcan

84 posts

Master Geek

#1374711 26-Aug-2015 15:33

graemeh: Unless the movie industry has suddenly decided to start paying to send notices your chance of getting one is zero.

If you do get one then there is a stand down period before the next notice so you've got plenty of time to stop being so naughty and mend your ways.

Thanks for the reply. I have read in few posts here saying with the new law you're likely to get a notice. how strict is the law in States/UK to NZ?

cheers

Finch

2851 posts

Uber Geek

#1374728 26-Aug-2015 16:20

Don't want to Hijack, but guess it relates to the OP's original question..

Ever since that rule was bought in a few years ago I have stopped Torrenting for fear of getting "The notice". Does this mean I have nothing to worry about then really...?

nakedmolerat

4629 posts

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#1374732 26-Aug-2015 16:30

Finch: Don't want to Hijack, but guess it relates to the OP's original question..

Ever since that rule was bought in a few years ago I have stopped Torrenting for fear of getting "The notice". Does this mean I have nothing to worry about then really...?

From my understanding, only those who 'torrent' musics/songs receive notice so far.

Brumfondl

1187 posts

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#1374734 26-Aug-2015 16:34

Disclaimer: You shouldn't torrent pirated stuff.

With that aside, it appears that only the music industry have been pinging people and only for the latest stuff from the most popular artists.

Do with this information what you will.

To the OP: You knew it was a torrent site but did not think it would be uploading and sharing... UM, do you not know how torrents work? What did you think was happening?

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1374735 26-Aug-2015 16:38

nakedmolerat:
Finch: Don't want to Hijack, but guess it relates to the OP's original question..

Ever since that rule was bought in a few years ago I have stopped Torrenting for fear of getting "The notice". Does this mean I have nothing to worry about then really...?

From my understanding, only those who 'torrent' musics/songs receive notice so far.

Yes, the music industry was paying to send notices and nobody else was.

The process for the notices requires a first notice, a second notice and then a third notice. There is a minimum period between notices (from memory it is 30 days) and the first two notices are "warning shots". When the third notice is issued the person making the complaint can take action.

Each notice is issued to the account holder. If you change ISPs the process starts again, if someone else becomes the account holder the process starts again.

There are plenty of options to buy most content so do consider buying it rather than stealing it (even if you have to resort to using services that make you appear overseas).

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keewee01

1737 posts

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#1374736 26-Aug-2015 16:38

If the TPPA gets passed then I would expect a large change in the illegal downloads environment. The Skynet bill will mean nothing at that point. And I think infringments could then be applied retrospectively. That was certainly the speculation over what was in the TPPA a few years ago...

vexxxboy

4244 posts

Uber Geek

#1374739 26-Aug-2015 16:43

Brumfondl: Disclaimer: You shouldn't torrent pirated stuff.

With that aside, it appears that only the music industry have been pinging people and only for the latest stuff from the most popular artists.

Do with this information what you will.

To the OP: You knew it was a torrent site but did not think it would be uploading and sharing... UM, do you not know how torrents work? What did you think was happening?

have you ever seen popcorn running, it does not say anything about torrent downloads or that you will be uploading data, you have to look pretty hard to find the settings. It just looks like Netflix , you click on a movie and it starts in 30 seconds or so.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

Brumfondl

1187 posts

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#1374746 26-Aug-2015 16:50

vexxxboy: have you ever seen popcorn running, it does not say anything about torrent downloads or that you will be uploading data, you have to look pretty hard to find the settings. It just looks like Netflix , you click on a movie and it starts in 30 seconds or so.

The OP specifically states 'I knew it was a torrent site'. Nuff said.

jarledb

Webhead
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#1374752 26-Aug-2015 16:57

vexxxboy:
Brumfondl: Disclaimer: You shouldn't torrent pirated stuff.

With that aside, it appears that only the music industry have been pinging people and only for the latest stuff from the most popular artists.

Do with this information what you will.

To the OP: You knew it was a torrent site but did not think it would be uploading and sharing... UM, do you not know how torrents work? What did you think was happening?

have you ever seen popcorn running, it does not say anything about torrent downloads or that you will be uploading data, you have to look pretty hard to find the settings. It just looks like Netflix , you click on a movie and it starts in 30 seconds or so.

And on Roku they have even made a promo-video showing how great Popcorn Time is. I am sure there are a lot of people using it not understanding that its illegal and that they are distributing stolen content when they use it.

It was the first app I removed from the Roku when I got it.

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Brumfondl

1187 posts

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Trusted

#1374791 26-Aug-2015 17:21

Heh, I wonder how many people on metered connections have been going over their limits due to this software then a lack of knowledge...

JayADee

2148 posts

Uber Geek

#1374830 26-Aug-2015 17:50

keewee01: If the TPPA gets passed then I would expect a large change in the illegal downloads environment. The Skynet bill will mean nothing at that point. And I think infringments could then be applied retrospectively. That was certainly the speculation over what was in the TPPA a few years ago...

Up to now, NZ has had a very sensible approach. The U.S. would love to dictate our laws to us.

shk292

2853 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1374832 26-Aug-2015 17:53

keewee01: If the TPPA gets passed then I would expect a large change in the illegal downloads environment. The Skynet bill will mean nothing at that point. And I think infringments could then be applied retrospectively. That was certainly the speculation over what was in the TPPA a few years ago...

Actually I think TPPA specifies arbitrary execution without trial for all copyright infringements, and this retrospectively applies back to 1984. So you'd better watch out if you've ever taped any LPs to play in the car, because that counts

Also, jailbreaking your iphone or applying a third party ROM to an Android device has the same penalty

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1374900 26-Aug-2015 22:02

JayADee:
keewee01: If the TPPA gets passed then I would expect a large change in the illegal downloads environment. The Skynet bill will mean nothing at that point. And I think infringments could then be applied retrospectively. That was certainly the speculation over what was in the TPPA a few years ago...

Up to now, NZ has had a very sensible approach. The U.S. would love to dictate our laws to us.

The US has had a few extreme cases but the vast majority of US infringements are handled using an even weaker system than in NZ, you get a slap over the wrist with a wet bus ticket from your ISP. If you do it often enough and you ISP is one of those that do it you get cut off.

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