Re: When is an MP3 file like a lighthouse?

From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Fri Oct 26 2001 - 07:05:13 MDT


Lee Daniel Crocker wrote:
>
> > >Nor does calling downloading of copyrighted material "theft".
> >
> > Actually being in possession of illegally copied material is
> > defined in the criminal code as theft.
>
> That's completely false. Copyright infringement is defined in
> Title 17 USC Chapter 5, as both a civil tort and criminal offense
> called "copyright infringement". The word "theft" appears nowhere
> in the statute, and existing laws and penalties for larceny do
> not apply to any acts specified there.
>
> Not only are you arguing the law instead instead of substance,
> you're arguing it incorrectly.

Lee, Lee, Lee, it is rather obvious to anybody who isn't being purposely
disengenuous that taking something offered for sale without paying for
it is theft. You can call it 'copyright infringement' as the specific
charge, but any idiot can tell you that such falls under a general class
of activities known generically as 'theft'. There are likely plenty of
other statutes describing crimes that fit that general class that do not
mention the word in them.



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