What Is Wrong With Downloading From uTorrent?
uTorrent is a BitTorrent client that allows users to upload and download large files in a relatively short amount of time. BitTorrent and its client software have recently come under fire as institutions such as the RIAA and MPAA have alleged that they promote copyright infringement. Ultimately, it is how the users use this application rather than the application itself that is wrong.
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uTorrent
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uTorrent is a BitTorrent client that allows for uploading and downloading of BitTorrent-protocol files. It is available for both the Windows and Mac operating systems. It has been in active development since 2005. It is widely regarded for its small size and memory usage as well as its rich feature set that can be custom-tailored to the needs of its user; it even received a five-star rating from CNET.
BitTorrent
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BitTorrent is a file sharing protocol used to distribute large amounts of data between networks. It makes use of peer-to-peer file sharing, which means that a given user connects to other users on the BitTorrent network that have the file they want and essentially “share” the data, allowing data to be transferred from one computer to another.
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Copyright Infringement
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Copyright holders have alleged that BitTorrent clients such as uTorrent facilitate copyright infringement, as copyrighted material is often disseminated across BitTorrent networks. How it works is that one individual posts copyrighted material, such as a movie, and others can freely download, watch, and distribute it further.
Is uTorrent illegal?
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While downloading copyrighted material is illegal, BitTorrent clients such as uTorrent are not in and of themselves illegal. They do not condone or promote the uploading or downloading of copyrighted material. Their software is simply a means of transferring data, and its primary use is not that of distributing copyrighted material.
Is it wrong to use uTorrent?
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Legality aside, it really depends on what you are doing on uTorrent that makes it right or wrong. If you are using uTorrent to share content on your computer, such as a home movie or corporate presentation, with another computer, than there is nothing wrong with it. If you are using uTorrent to download a movie or music album that you do not own the rights to, then it is wrong and indeed illegal and you could face stiff penalties if caught.
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References
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