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Torrent Beatmaps Illegal?

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Topic Starter
Phil
Hello,

I just want to ask If the Torrent Beatmap packs are Illegal.
The reason is I already got a letter because of filesharing...
I don't want that again.
I'm just more careful now :D


Thank you.
IppE
They're just as illegal as downloading beatmaps normally.
TakuMii
Torrents themselves aren't illegal, but they're usually associated with illegal activity. You won't get into legal trouble from downloading the beatmap pack torrents.
It does count as filesharing though, so if your ISP doesn't like torrents at all, you might get in trouble regardless of the legality.
Flat_Stanley
Even if it is illegal, the chance that you will get caught is slim to none, although since you already got a letter previously they may still be keeping track of your browsing so you never know. The beatmap packs themselves are obviously free torrented or not but anything you're torrenting off a torrent website is still considered filesharing. Many filesharing websites that exist for the purpose of not torrenting are not tracked or noticed as strictly as filesharing websites that offer torrents for games, movies, etc. like piratebay.org for example. I wouldn't worry about getting in trouble for torrenting the packs.
tokaku
If I had to pay to download any beatmap that would be illegal
freakkater
1) As the hoster of one of the two osu!-beatmap-pack-torrent-trackers i can assure you, that as long as peppy doesn't tell me to stop all torrents are legal.
2) Copyright for the MP3 provided in each beatmap (whereever you got it from) is at it's respective owner (whoever this may be in each case). ask peppy for legal information about that.
3) in germany it is indeed illegal to upload musicalbums. osu!-beatmap-Packs are game-related and therefor NOT musicalbums. (most times it's not even more than one song from a band)

short in german:
wenn du probleme mit deinem internetprovider (telekom/1und1/alice/freenet/whoever) bekommen hast weil du illegales zeug gemacht hast, ruf da an und frage nach wegen was. sollten die die osu!-torrents als illegal ansehen und dies nicht schon im vorhinein im vertrag dir verboten haben zu laden, weise sie auf peppy hin bzw diese seite hier und alles andere was die fordern vergisste erstmal. sollten die andere downloads/uploads von dir ankreiden... pech gehabt... aber für den fall, dass das ein beliebiges inkassounternehmen (nicht im auftrag deines internetanbieters) geschickt hat, geh zum verbraucherschutz. die helfen und links zu denen findest du bei google rechts schnell. die torrents die ich und hiramiya hochladen sind streng genommen grauzonenlegal, da noch keine der betroffenen copyrightinhaberstellen sich zu wort gemeldet hat. von peppy befüchten wir nichts, ihm sparts bandbreite und somit geld. sollte peppy uns das verbieten -> keine torrents mehr... so einfach ists.

noch fragen?/further questions?
contact me via PN

~freakkater~
^^^^^^^^^
deletemyaccount
Isn't the act of using torrents not illegal but depends on the content in which you download? in that case, if beatmaps aren't illegal then torrenting wouldn't be either as it's just another faster method of mass-aquiring large amount of files. This is in my country though, downloading laws may be different where you live^^.
Lach
This game is one big den of piracy operating on a loophole. Some maps have already been taken down for copyright infringement. Don't let that stop you from downloading maps.
freakkater

Lach wrote:

This game is one big den of piracy operating on a loophole. Some maps have already been taken down for copyright infringement. Don't let that stop you from downloading maps.
well, but with each update of osu! peppy is able to delete these "illegal" files (even those of the past).
if he doesn't do it via the updates, he will have a better way (or none), but that isn't the problem here i think.

EUROPEAN UNION LAW:
The torrents stay legal, as long as the website who is publishing the data provided in the torrents doesn't claim their copyright or asks the hosters of the trackers (Hiramiya and me) to stop.
freakkater
PEPPYS STATEMENTS TO THIS TOPIC:
http://osu.ppy.sh/p/copyright
http://osu.ppy.sh/p/terms
-------------
| PLEASE |
| READ!! |
o/----------
Lach
I'm fully aware of the copyright status and process. Nothing has to be updated to remove maps which have copyright infringements (usually done by some form of C&D email)

The downloads for the maps get removed. Except for this map t/39556&start=0
freakkater

Lach wrote:

I'm fully aware of the copyright status and process. Nothing has to be updated to remove maps which have copyright infringements (usually done by some form of C&D email)

The downloads for the maps get removed. Except for this map t/39556&start=0
EVEN for this map...
Lach
What I meant is that the maps persist as a ranked map, but you cannot download them. The Rita map I linked seemed to just be nuked suddenly after 3 years of being ranked with no explanation.

I'm going to end this discussion since I don't think you understand what I mean.
freakkater

Lach wrote:

What I meant is that the maps persist as a ranked map, but you cannot download them. The Rita map I linked seemed to just be nuked suddenly after 3 years of being ranked with no explanation.

I'm going to end this discussion since I don't think you understand what I mean.
then use your native language, i'll use google translate...
IppE

freakkater wrote:

EUROPEAN UNION LAW:
The torrents stay legal, as long as the website who is publishing the data provided in the torrents doesn't claim their copyright or asks the hosters of the trackers (Hiramiya and me) to stop.
Torrents themselves are not illegal in any way, but given the nature of this game it's basically glorified music piracy in the eyes of say RIAA and GEMA etc.
The DMCA copyright clauses and things peppy has are just a safety net in case the original author of the music 1. Finds out that their music is being used and 2. Cares about it enough to submit a takedown request (though this is usually done by the record label because they get their panties in a hissy far more easily about these things.)
BeatScrub
The more I read the more I want to stay away from osu! ...
Seriously. I don't want be around a website that has history of pirated songs and beatmaps ready for download.
Unless someone tells me something like, "the beatmaps with pirated songs are removed." , and most absolutly osu beatmaps are okay to download and play and no danger of getting a infringement.
Because before I keep playing or say Farewell, I need some clarity on this. A.S.A.P.
Vuelo Eluko
please educate yourself before spewing shit and necroing
Nameless
Beatmaps don't cost money, so no. The laws on torrenting do vary throughout countries though, so you may want to look into that. You may want to also make sure that your internet provider accepts the use of torrents.
Torrenting beatmaps is just another way to mass download them.
BeatScrub
Alright. Then I will ask this.

How do I know beatmaps have pirated songs on them?
Are the beatmaps with these songs deleted?
Are the beatmaps currently available for download legal?
Vuelo Eluko
there are no pirated songs
the only songs that have been removed from the pool thus far are skrillex and beatmania songs

every song is being used fairly unless otherwise disputed, like with the above cases
BeatScrub
So, then all beatmaps are legal to download and play? We ain't doing nothing wrong right? Until accused of it being pirated. THEN, it it gets removed from the site? Sorry, I am worry-some. :P
Vuelo Eluko
its not illegal for you to download them basically
pls lock
BeatScrub
Any? Any at all? Also "lock"?
ZenithPhantasm
They're about as illegal as being in the pocession of stolen property.
Granger

Riince wrote:

there are no pirated songs
the only songs that have been removed from the pool thus far are skrillex and beatmania songs

every song is being used fairly unless otherwise disputed, like with the above cases
u wot m8?
I can gurantee you most of the songs here are not licensed under a fair use license nor creative commons license, so you're not allowed to upload/use/download them here.

Take Beyonce - Pretty Hurts as example.
The copy right holder for that song is Columbia Records, a Division of Sony Music Entertainment, and the song is sold commercially by them. On iTunes as example.

So why exactly is it fair use to make it available for download here? Theres nothing fair use about this, osu! does not own the rights to distribute the song.

Same goes for songs like that anime opening, the copyright holder is the respective anime publisher and they're trying to make money with this song (by selling it in the anime or alone with special disc mercandise). Again, nothing fair use here.

However, much like with anime streaming sites, if a song is not licensed* in the land you're distributing it to (*which means it is not being sold there) the publisher will usually not complain since theres no profits to be lost, only costs to be made by legal actions.
Still, the whole thing is not legal at all, the situation described above is at best a legal gray zone. The Beyonce song? Very much illegal for you, since it is being sold in the US.
Vuelo Eluko
my point is nothing is going to happen to him
if nothing is going to happen its not illegal, like smoking pot in your own house.
cheezstik
A lot of these songs aren't licensed to be distributed, so if you're worried about piracy, then osu isn't the game for you, unless you are keen on downloading only royalty free beatmaps, which will exclude you from pretty much most of the good maps. Skrillex and Konami have already taken action, and had all beatmaps of their songs removed from osu. You can still get these maps if you look around, it's not hard to find *cough* bloodcat *cough*

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about piracy at all, it's not a big deal
BeatScrub
I'm heading out.
One more thing:

I did download beatmaps before this discussion they are currently being deleted.

Does this mean I'm currently at risk of getting in trouble?

Or I am I okay as long they are gone and off my computer?

I.e. I'm taking cheezstik's advice and going.
But I just want to know as long the beatmaps are off my computer I have nothing to worry about?
Granger
No, you shouldnt have to worry about anything.
Even if you keep them (same as when you keep playing), its unlikely you'll get into trouble because illegal downloading of songs. It is possible, but very unlikely really.

If you really want to, id suggest you to inform yourself about copyright laws of your country concerning illegal downloading, in some countries only uploading gets punished but not downloading.
BeatScrub
But I just want to know as long the beatmaps are off my computer I have nothing to worry about?
deletemyaccount

BeatScrub wrote:

But I just want to know as long the beatmaps are off my computer I have nothing to worry about?
You're fine. If downloading beatmaps was enforced legally as copyright infringement something would have already happened (like the beatmania maps *rip*).
I actually give you props for searching before making a new thread, but you really are safe.

On the topic of copyright infringement, I really do worry how this will impact osu! in the future as the game grows in popularity.
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