Ebay/copyright infringement question

[t_chelle16]

I got a movie (DVD) for dad on eBay. I just got it in the mail today and found out that it's not an original DVD, but a DVD-R copy. No where in the auction description did it say that it was a copy. I've emailed the seller asking for a refund so hopefully I won't have any problems with that.

My question is, isn't selling copies of movies illegal? I would like to report the seller to eBay, but first I want to find specifically where it says in the eBay rules that selling copied dvd's is prohibited. I've done some looking around, but haven't been able to find it yet.

-Chelle

 

[tylers65]

Technically, making a copy of ANY movie is illegal. The same with Music. It is also "technically" illegal to record music from the radio. Most people do not know this though.

Selling a copied movie for ones personal profit is illegal 2 fold.

1st they made the copy (illegal)
2nd they sold someone elses intellectual property for personal gain (illegal).

Not only should you turn them into Ebay, you should turn them into the authorities as well.

 

[t_chelle16]

I finally found where it says that only blank CD-R's and DVD-R's can be sold so I reported him. I'm going to look into reporting him to the authorities as well.

I also got a reply from him. Apparently when the description said "long out of print", that clearly meant that this was a copy (stupid me for not understanding that ). And since my DVD player won't play DVD-R's, I really need to buy a new DVD player. But he did say he'd give me a refund.

-Chelle

 

[Banditlead]

Its legal to make a copy of something, if you own it. I can copy any of my CDs, and keep them for myself. Making back-up copies is legal. Same as downloading Mp3s, you can legally download an Mp3 if you legally own the CD the song came on. Its the same for just about everything else, from movies to software. Its a really gray area right now, personally I would just let it ride. Now that your involved, you could get in just as much trouble as him at this point. Look at that lady who payed for a fake subscription to an Mp3 service, she still got charged over $2,000 by the RIAA.

 

[t_chelle16]

Why whould I get in trouble? I bought the DVD thinking it was legit and I'm not keeping it now that I know it's not.

-Chelle

 

[one2gamble]

copying things you own for personal backup is not illegal, copying things for distribution and profit is. Ebay should be notified and so should the government

 

[one2gamble]

she still got charged over $2,000 by the RIAA.

the RIAA is a crock, all they do is threaten people with court and they all settle. Give me a good attorney and I dont see how anyone would lose for downloading songs. Not to mention the RIAA would have to prove that the person knowingly downloaded a song that the person they downloaded it from didnt have a license to distribute....Though you cant claim ignorance the simple fact is artists have put things on p2p networks in order to try and increase their popularity. 50 cent owes his initial success to p2p networks and has admitted it openly.

 

[Silentst2000]

I think some lady is counter sueing the RIAA under anti-trust laws and harrassment. I wonder what happened to that case?

 

[Route666]

I have heard that it is also illegal to record free-to-air television shows. This kind of makes VCRs redundant, but laws is laws.

 

[Ozsum67]

Copy all you want as long as you don't plan to make a profit on it. No law against that.

 

[Route666]

Apparently (here anyway) you can't even do that (for free-to-air stuff), even if it is just for you, and you're not showing it to other people. Stuff you've bought you're allowed to make backup copies of, but free stuff you aren't allowed to record. Even though this virtually totally invalidates the use of a record feature on a vcr, it's still the law. Silly huh? I think it's like "You didn't pay for it, so you have no rights to it AT ALL" which is why they can interrupt movies etc to bring news, all that sort of thing, also why you can't record it - you have no right to owning a copy of it. - you have no copyright.