Copyright question Forum

[lakers3peat]

This question is more out of curiosity then anything but I want to know if it's illegal to download practice tests from torrents. Now before you come out and condemn me for my atrocious acts against the LSAC, I want to point out I've purchased virtually every practice test(even the rare ones) and still have them all. BUT in a few of them, I wrote, highlighted, bracketed etc. I figured that I needed some practice with the techniques I was going to actually use on the test, not taking into account I might want to use the practice tests later.

My question, as it pertains to music copywrights also: is it illegal to download copies of LSATs you've already purchased? I've been erasing the answer choices but it's kind of pissing me off. If I already bought a copy of these LSATs, is it still illegal to download?

Obviously like music downloads, I doubt that I am going to have the LSAC come at me so I'm more curious then anything. I also don't really want to have to study more so none of this really matters if I get that 170 lol. Any thoughts?

[BlueDiamond]

didnt read the post but please tell me the title isnt serious?

[kswalters]

didnt read the post but please tell me the title isnt serious?

I was thinking the same thing.

[LeBum James]

This question is more out of curiosity then anything but I want to know if it's illegal to download practice tests from torrents. Now before you come out and condemn me for my atrocious acts against the LSAC, I want to point out I've purchased virtually every practice test(even the rare ones) and still have them all. BUT in a few of them, I wrote, highlighted, bracketed etc. I figured that I needed some practice with the techniques I was going to actually use on the test, not taking into account I might want to use the practice tests later.

My question, as it pertains to music copywrights also: is it illegal to download copies of LSATs you've already purchased? I've been erasing the answer choices but it's kind of pissing me off. If I already bought a copy of these LSATs, is it still illegal to download?

Obviously like music downloads, I doubt that I am going to have the LSAC come at me so I'm more curious then anything. I also don't really want to have to study more so none of this really matters if I get that 170 lol. Any thoughts?

Yes, it's illegal.

Learn to spell.

[ScottRiqui]

If you had made PDF backups (or paper copies) of the paper tests you bought before you marked them up, I think you'd be within your rights, but simply buying the tests in one format doesn't give you the right to later download them from an unauthorized source in another format.

In a similar vein, I have about 1,000 vinyl albums, some of which have developed some pops/scratches over the decades. I'd like to be able to torrent the digital versions now, but it's not legal. Had I made copies of the albums when they were new, I'd be legally allowed to play the copies rather than the original vinyl, so long as I kept the original albums and didn't sell them/give them away.

[TLSanders]

If you had made PDF backups (or paper copies) of the paper tests you bought before you marked them up, I think you'd be within your rights, but simply buying the tests in one format doesn't give you the right to later download them from an unauthorized source in another format.

In a similar vein, I have about 1,000 vinyl albums, some of which have developed some pops/scratches over the decades. I'd like to be able to torrent the digital versions now, but it's not legal. Had I made copies of the albums when they were new, I'd be legally allowed to play the copies rather than the original vinyl, so long as I kept the original albums and didn't sell them/give them away.

In addition, assuming you were able to convince yourself that this was "just like" the first scenario above and therefore okay, is it a chance you'd want to take? Litigation with LSAC just doesn't seem like a solid "soft"...even if you win.

[fastforward]

Torrents are illegal. Period. You don't need to be told that.

It's baffling to me why prospective law students would risk preparing for a legal career by downloading pirated materials.

If you want PDFs at reasonable cost from a vendor that is licensed by LSAC, go here
http://www.cambridgelsat.com/category/lsat/1

[ResolutePear]

If you had made PDF backups (or paper copies) of the paper tests you bought before you marked them up, I think you'd be within your rights, but simply buying the tests in one format doesn't give you the right to later download them from an unauthorized source in another format.

In a similar vein, I have about 1,000 vinyl albums, some of which have developed some pops/scratches over the decades. I'd like to be able to torrent the digital versions now, but it's not legal. Had I made copies of the albums when they were new, I'd be legally allowed to play the copies rather than the original vinyl, so long as I kept the original albums and didn't sell them/give them away.

The issue with torrents isn't acquiring said tracks - the problem comes that when you download off torrent, you are actively helping to distribute those tracks.

Record labels seldom sue the "downloaders," instead they go after the uploaders. Though, unless the court's view changed from 6 months ago - record labels are able to entrap downloaders by providing tracks to be downloaded... let's think about that for a second.

At any rate, vinyl's sound like sex. Too bad they decay.

[ResolutePear]

Torrents are illegal. Period. You don't need to be told that.

It's baffling to me why prospective law students would risk preparing for a legal career by downloading pirated materials.

If you want PDFs at reasonable cost from a vendor that is licensed by LSAC, go here
http://www.cambridgelsat.com/category/lsat/1

Torrents are not illegal.

[fastforward]

Downloading torrents in an attempt to contravene paying for copyrighted materials is illegal.

[fastforward]

See, this is the problem with torrents. People try to get cute with what is legal and what is not.

[ResolutePear]

See, this is the problem with torrents. People try to get cute with what is legal and what is not.

Torrents is a technology for file transfer. No different than an HTTP, FTP, or SMB protocol when used to transfer a file from point-A to point-B.

It's no different than downloading copyrighted property through any other means.

In fact, copyrighted information gets transferred through torrent all the time as more media companies use it for the transfer of their property though it is legal as they have expressly allowed it in their EULA. Trying to construe "torrenting" as illegal is the reason why our entire legal system is screwed to no end on this front.

[lakers3peat]

Lol, people who think torrents are illegal are wrong.

The only valuable insight was from the person who used the vinyl record analogy. i also own a ton of vinyls and classic CDs. very few of the CDS still play; my vinyls are pretty good but the CDS are mainly scratched. i always wondered if it's illegal to download a song that you already own the CD of.

People here are furious I ask that question. Probably just butt hurt cause they couldn't solve the Conferences on the December LSAT. Cry more.

[ResolutePear]

Lol, people who think torrents are illegal are wrong.

The only valuable insight was from the person who used the vinyl record analogy. i also own a ton of vinyls and classic CDs. very few of the CDS still play; my vinyls are pretty good but the CDS are mainly scratched. i always wondered if it's illegal to download a song that you already own the CD of.

People here are furious I ask that question. Probably just butt hurt cause they couldn't solve the Conferences on the December LSAT. Cry more.

Even if you have a license to hold the music, downloading it on torrent is illegal because you are aiding distribution to others who do not have a license and you are actively infringing upon the rights of the label as an exclusive distributor. It's now peer-to-peer networks work.

[lakers3peat]

yeah that's the question I was looking to have answered. That's what I thought in the first place and I just wanted confirmation basically. However, it's funny to me people come on here saying torrents are illegal when they don't even know what torrents are.

[chopper]

I say download them from a public place (like a library, or a coffee shop), so it is a lot harder to trace the IP address to your computer.

I downloaded a few TV shows from a torrent about a year ago and my internet provider sent a letter to me about how it's illegal, and how they can turn me in, etc.

[ResolutePear]

I say download them from a public place (like a library, or a coffee shop), so it is a lot harder to trace the IP address to your computer.

I downloaded a few TV shows from a torrent about a year ago and my internet provider sent a letter to me about how it's illegal, and how they can turn me in, etc.

What-the-fuck-am-I-reading.jpg
This is the dumbest advice I've ever heard.

When you log into public places, they either have you on file(login with an account) or have a log of personally identifiable information. Oh, and the law firms acting as plaintiffs on behalf of the record labels know this - because worse case scenario they can fall back on the establishment for giving you access.

[dextermorgan]

Your biggest issue with the downloading thing is that torrents simultaneously upload as well. Even if you download something you legally own, you are still distributing it to people who you have to assume are illegally obtaining it. Sure you can change your settings, but then the internet hates you.

Edit: I'm a 0L and this is my opinion, not legal advice.

[ScottRiqui]

I say download them from a public place (like a library, or a coffee shop), so it is a lot harder to trace the IP address to your computer.

I downloaded a few TV shows from a torrent about a year ago and my internet provider sent a letter to me about how it's illegal, and how they can turn me in, etc.

What-the-fuck-am-I-reading.jpg
This is the dumbest advice I've ever heard.

When you log into public places, they either have you on file(login with an account) or have a log of personally identifiable information. Oh, and the law firms acting as plaintiffs on behalf of the record labels know this - because worse case scenario they can fall back on the establishment for giving you access.

I don't condone his suggestion, but if you go to a place with open Wi-Fi (no account/login required), the closest thing to Personally Identifiable Information the establishment would likely have in their log files is the MAC address of your wireless adapter. And if you're worried about that being traced back to you through the computer manufacturer, you could just get a "burner" USB Wi-Fi dongle and use that to access the establishment's Wi-Fi instead of the wireless adapter built into your laptop.

EDIT: Also, regarding the plaintiffs going after the Wi-Fi "hotspot" provider, I don't know if that's ever been successfully done in the U.S. The law isn't crystal-clear on this point, but businesses that provide internet access to their customers may fall under the "safe harbor" provision of the DMCA in much the same way that an ISP like Time Warner Cable or Cox Cable does, and thus could not be held liable for the infringements committed by their customers.

[fastforward]

It's really not complicated. Bottom line: Are you obtaining copy protected materials legally?

[TLSanders]

People here are furious I ask that question. Probably just butt hurt cause they couldn't solve the Conferences on the December LSAT. Cry more.

Wow. Way to make people sorry they wasted even a minute of their time giving you a serious answer. Won't make that mistake again.

[lakers3peat]

[ClancyTom]

While we're on the goll-darn subject. I recently received... oh twenty-some postcards from my ISP notifying me that I had possibly violated the dmca act or whatever, infringed on copyright, etc. That said, I have yet to receive a request for "pre-settlement", I have not been sued, nor has my internet or ISP services been cut. Given that I wiped said files from said hard drive and stopped using torrents and stopped getting these lovely postcards... I should pretty much be in the clear... right?

[ResolutePear]

While we're on the goll-darn subject. I recently received... oh twenty-some postcards from my ISP notifying me that I had possibly violated the dmca act or whatever, infringed on copyright, etc. That said, I have yet to receive a request for "pre-settlement", I have not been sued, nor has my internet or ISP services been cut. Given that I wiped said files from said hard drive and stopped using torrents and stopped getting these lovely postcards... I should pretty much be in the clear... right?

Just thought I'd throw this out: Anybody with a forensic computer toolkit can recover anything you deleted - unless you zero-sumx15 delete everything - which means.. you tell the computer to fill every last bit of you HD's space with 0's.

In fact, do yourself a favor: If you need to get rid of your HD, put it in a trashcan and burn it.

[ClancyTom]

That's good advice.

Unfortunately... one of the two computers which said files were on is a computer back at home, that is, at my parents house. I can't do that without 1. giving them an explanation (which might be tricky) or 2. deleting potentially important business files.

So, I'm hoping it will all kind of be fine. Is that completely stupid? I think the RIAA would have come after me by now if they were going to.