Is LimeWire Illegal?
Published by: Codrut Nistor, in News
August5th2008
File sharing is one of my favorite topics, especially because of that (very) thin line between legal and illegal. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't enjoy having the authorities go through my files to see if what I downloaded is protected by some copyright or not, and that's why I like using file sharing programs and being up to date with the latest news in the field. I am not out for warez, but I know there's a lot of useful free content out there, waiting to be found.
Now, a very short file sharing history lesson... It all started with USENET, the first global file sharing network, followed by the first P2P-generation file sharing software, using the server-client approach. While Napster faced a lot of legal problems, went down and now is up again, using a pay system, LimeWire is probably the most notorious first generation file sharing program still having a free version. So... is LimeWire illegal, or not?
First of all, let's do this the easy way. Considering the number of habitable worlds in the Universe, it's simply impossible for intelligent life forms not to exist.
Obviously, the fact that - as far as the public opinion knows - we didn't manage to encounter them yet, doesn't mean they don't exist. Now, if we take into account the fact that LimeWire for Windows has been downloaded from CNET, not to mention additional source, over 150 million times, figure it out for yourself!
Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging in the balance, but please write a comment with your own opinion, I'm anxious to hear more about what you think. As for myself, here's what I think - just like with most file sharing applications, it doesn't depend on the program too much. It's the user, obviously. Is LimeWire illegal? Hell, no! Is it possible to download illegal content with it? Obviously, yes. After all, instant messengers, email services, the entire Web itself could be used for illegal purposes, don't you agree?
When asking yourself "Is LimeWire illegal," simply replace "LimeWire" with virtually any other file sharing program, instant messenger with file sending capabilities, and so on. It's not the tool, it's the user of that tool, remember that!
If you're asking yourself about the differences between the LimeWire versions available, I must say none of them is "warez-friendly" more than the Basic version, if I can say that. After all, the "workflow" is this - you download the program from the official LimeWire downloads page or any other reliable source, and you fire it up.
Now, if you are looking for "Ubuntu Linux" or "Hancock," that's nothing illegal. When you find various results for "Hancock," some of them related to "Hancock trailer," and others being like "Hancock.2008.R5.LiNE.XviD.SWESUB-KickFoot," and you download the later, that's "a bit illegal." In fact, it's 100% illegal!
I hope I made things clear, but I am sure we'll get back to this topic in the future, too. After all, is LimeWire illegal? Is BitTorrent illegal? Is Azureus illegal? There are plenty of questions to answer, but if you think well, there's only one answer - "depends on what you make of it!"
Now, a very short file sharing history lesson... It all started with USENET, the first global file sharing network, followed by the first P2P-generation file sharing software, using the server-client approach. While Napster faced a lot of legal problems, went down and now is up again, using a pay system, LimeWire is probably the most notorious first generation file sharing program still having a free version. So... is LimeWire illegal, or not?
First of all, let's do this the easy way. Considering the number of habitable worlds in the Universe, it's simply impossible for intelligent life forms not to exist.
Obviously, the fact that - as far as the public opinion knows - we didn't manage to encounter them yet, doesn't mean they don't exist. Now, if we take into account the fact that LimeWire for Windows has been downloaded from CNET, not to mention additional source, over 150 million times, figure it out for yourself!
Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging in the balance, but please write a comment with your own opinion, I'm anxious to hear more about what you think. As for myself, here's what I think - just like with most file sharing applications, it doesn't depend on the program too much. It's the user, obviously. Is LimeWire illegal? Hell, no! Is it possible to download illegal content with it? Obviously, yes. After all, instant messengers, email services, the entire Web itself could be used for illegal purposes, don't you agree?
When asking yourself "Is LimeWire illegal," simply replace "LimeWire" with virtually any other file sharing program, instant messenger with file sending capabilities, and so on. It's not the tool, it's the user of that tool, remember that!
If you're asking yourself about the differences between the LimeWire versions available, I must say none of them is "warez-friendly" more than the Basic version, if I can say that. After all, the "workflow" is this - you download the program from the official LimeWire downloads page or any other reliable source, and you fire it up.
Now, if you are looking for "Ubuntu Linux" or "Hancock," that's nothing illegal. When you find various results for "Hancock," some of them related to "Hancock trailer," and others being like "Hancock.2008.R5.LiNE.XviD.SWESUB-KickFoot," and you download the later, that's "a bit illegal." In fact, it's 100% illegal!
I hope I made things clear, but I am sure we'll get back to this topic in the future, too. After all, is LimeWire illegal? Is BitTorrent illegal? Is Azureus illegal? There are plenty of questions to answer, but if you think well, there's only one answer - "depends on what you make of it!"
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26 Comments on Is LimeWire Illegal?
On 09/07/2008 at 7:55 pm Wolfaaron said:
What you said is true, there is nearly no possible way to get caught but it would be better to respect copyrights of all those artists.
Illegal stuff will keep on going as long as there is an internet.
On 10/21/2008 at 7:24 am popioi said:
yes
On 10/30/2008 at 8:26 pm hugs said:
I was told by a friend of mine a year or two ago that Limewire is a great cheap place to get tunes...I am glad I checked it out for sure. I think the artist's hard work needs to be respected for sure...Thanks for the article...
On 12/08/2008 at 12:13 am googa said:
http://www.softdistrict.com/is-limewire-illegal
On 01/06/2009 at 4:05 am bwhelan said:
are you a fucking retard you dont say i use limewire on a web page answer blog you fucking retard (not that i have downloaded anything illegal).
its just makes the artists job easier when you post shit about limewire on a webpage you dillweed
On 01/06/2009 at 6:06 am Codrut Nistor said:
Just for the record, I am NOT using Limewire. You also use that language when your mother is around?
On 06/16/2009 at 11:01 pm pp said:
Are vertor torrents illegal? And downloading torrents from vertor through limewire is illegal too?
On 11/18/2009 at 11:21 am lol said:
its kinda hard to explain it works like this limewire is a perfectly legal program in itself but the files on there are illegal mostly you need the authors consent to be able to put music on there which basically every artist has refused think about it who's gonna drive to the record store and pay money if u can hope on limewire download something in two seconds then put it ona cd purchased for 5 cents if you want lol its amazingly funny dude its a fucking war a gigantic illigeal free movie watching site has been closed down its getting insane
On 12/22/2009 at 2:26 am John said:
No, it shouldn't be illegal. Yes, breaking copyright laws is bad,
but it's not like it negatively affects anyone. The only people it hurts are those who are already doing fine as is. I'm not saying it's good to do it, but if someone can't afford CDs or iTunes ($1.29 a song!), it's not terrible, especially if used sparingly.
Technically, burning a CD of music is illegal, but it's not like blank CDs and CD burners are prohibited.
Now if they were to sell illegally downloaded music, that's another thing, but file sharing could even be compared to having your friend come over and listen to the CD you bought. They're hearing it for free, aren't they?
On 04/27/2010 at 9:00 am Limewire Greatness said:
limewire is completeley legal...but some applications can dip onto the other side of the law... the only thing i warn u about is child pornogrophy. that will get you arrested very fast
On 09/12/2010 at 12:57 am Amy said:
ok i really want to know if I got this clear because I dont want to do anything illegal. If I download a song is ok. I i download a song that does not contain the true singer or is just thAT SONG then its illegal. Or a movie like if its avatar it has to be just avatar if it say avatar(good quality) then its abiously illegal right? Plus I am not using it to sell or nothing I just jam to it in the car can u please let me know if am right?
On 09/12/2010 at 2:05 am John said:
No, technically it's not legal. The only songs that are legal to download from Limewire are free domain songs, which most songs aren't (anything you'll hear on the radio or anything is likely to be copyrighted). Same goes for movies.
Yes, it's illegal, but there are almost never actual repercussions from the law, if that's what you worried about. Whether you get it or not will mainly depend on your moral standpoint, because it is against the law.
On 10/21/2010 at 10:46 am Elisha said:
Obviously limewire is not an illegal site but downloading from it is. I recieved a letter today from my cable company about something i downloaded from the site. It was a copyright infringement notice. It was reported on the 9th of this month letter dated from the 12th and just now did i recieve the letter.
They gave me 24 hrs to not only delete what i downloaded, but warned me about doing it again. There is a $250,000.00 fine for each infringement. I also have to contact them in writting within 24 hrs stating that it has been removed, and give them my info for the U.S. District Court. Also, i must affirm that i will accept services of process from the agent or person providing the original notice.
Then they threatened to shut down my cable and internet service.
So i have deleted limewire.
Honestly in my opinion it is not even worth it !!
On 10/27/2010 at 1:47 am kck said:
wow i had no idea until a illegal notice popped up on my screen. then why do they let people do it? technology is stupid im thinking.
On 11/03/2010 at 7:54 am Vic said:
Strickly personal opinion...SOO, Fuck that legal notice, there is simply too much music to pay for. Radio stations play most music, but not in the order of anyone's convenience. You can youtube just about any song you want and or use some type of internet radio to listen to whatever you'd like, so why not just have it at your disposal in a simpler way? I'm not saying I do not respect the rights of the artists, but if they are any good they should not have to worry about lowering the prices of their music..more people will buy if CDs were not $20 so the ratio of profit from their previous prices compared to the ratio of profit from the lower prices would most likely prove that lower the prices would increase their profits. Who in their right mind would purchase that when you could buy a stack of 50-100 CDs for $20 and burn a variety of music. I would not buy an artists CD for anything less than $5, unless they were made of a rare alloy from some distant region in the galaxy.
Bottom Line-->I "believe" that record companies should quit being VA-JAY-JAYS, if indeed they are being Va Jay Jays.
On 11/03/2010 at 9:55 pm lulu said:
So is Limewire Pro also illegal. If we pay for it are we not then covering the copyright costs?
On 11/05/2010 at 12:38 pm Anonymous said:
@Vic - I agree with you. Music prices are too high for people to buy all the music that they would like to listen too. However, music companies cannot just lower prices. They have to record the songs, which costs alot of money for a little amount of time in a recording studio. That puts a huge overhead on them, which means they must sell enough music to cover there expenses, and then they need to make a profit from it. If they cant do this, then they go out of business, and stop making music. If they stop making music then artists songs dont go out there as much. If they dont go out there as much people like you cant download it for free. So, really, you pay a price one way or another.
On 11/06/2010 at 10:24 pm Kat said:
Honestly, I just want to know if Limewire is illegal or not... Yes or no.
On 11/06/2010 at 10:27 pm John said:
Well, it didn't use to be illegal. But it appears it is now, as it's been shut down. So yes. Illegal. Unfortunately.
On 11/24/2010 at 5:42 pm ricky said:
all i want to know is why limewire is fucking illegal.so WHY IS LIMEWIRE ILLEGAL??????????????
On 11/27/2010 at 2:33 am youll never know said:
limewire has been shut down to slow the illegal download of copyrighted material, so it is not that limewire was illegal or not, it is that limewire was the easiest and most widely used P2P software out there and made it so everyone could use it illegaly. I used limewire for years and have moved on sence to other sofware after it was shut down. I do apologize to all the companies out there that are losing $20 everytime I download one song from a CD becuase the rest of the songs suck but you will make it to tommorrow. Besides when I play that song and my firends (being to dumb to know about P2P file sharing are to moral to use P2P) go out and buy the CD. I thank Shawn Fanning (founder of Napster) and all the others that have made it posable for me to illegally download damn near anything and not be caught...
For ever as long as I can I will illegally download what I want but I do advertise what I have and I belive the makers get there money, one way or another, just not from me. Im to busy keeping up with my internet and file storing bills. I do think it is illegal but Im not rich enough to care and I think the singers, actors, and companies out there will be ok.
On 12/31/2010 at 12:13 pm miles said:
it's offical woman got sued 1.2 mill for 4 songs it's not leagal that's all i need to know t never go on it again
On 12/31/2010 at 12:14 pm miles said:
acctually its 24 songs not 4 sorry
On 01/17/2011 at 7:59 pm sss666 said:
Its all about illuminati. all they need is money for their evil plan to bring devil on earth through cross dimensional by writing songs for singers when singers sang songs they got money by selling songs making it 50-50 now you got understand why they want to shutdown limewire because of it. No more sharing no more tension about leakage of their data And now much more money.
LIMEWIRE IS THE BEST EVER AND IT SHOULD BE BACK.
FOR THOSE WHO BOUGHT LIMEWIRE AND LOVE LIMEWIRE SHOULD COME TO STREETS WITH SLOGANS TO OPEN LIMEWIRE BACK AND NOT TO RETURN UNTIL IT IS BACK
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