When is a website illegal?

A website is illegal, when the website makes movies, series, music, literature etc. available to the public without an agreement with the right holders. This means that people who have put time, energy and money into developing cultural content are not paid for their work, but instead criminals profit from a product that is not theirs.

7 signs that reveal a website with illegal content

Although many websites with illegal content gets closed, you can still risk ending up on a website with illegal content. Share With Care (in Danish) - a collaboration between the Danish Ministry of Culture, RettighedsAlliancen, Telecom Industry Association and The Confederation of Danish Industry - encourages you to use your common sense to take care of yourself and the culture, when you use online services.

They have also made some good advice on how to identify an illegal website (in Danish). You should thus pay extra attention if;

• All the content is free, even the latest movies that you usually pay to watch
• You can watch movies that otherwise only appear in the cinema
• There are many pop-up advertisements
• There are spelling mistakes on the website
• The name of the website looks weird
• You immediately get redirected to a new website address
• You cannot get in touch with those behind the website

Find legal cultural content online

Share With Care would like to make it as easy for you as possible to find legal cultural content online. Therefore, they have developed the search engine, FilmFinder, where you can get an overview of where to find exactly the movie or series you are looking for.

Try FilmFinder.

Share With Care has also compiled a number of legal services within music, literature, and furniture, making it easier for you to navigate an internet filed with offers that are often too good to be true. Check it out here.

How does it affect you?

An uncritical use of culture on the Internet can affect both yourself and the culture. When illegal websites offer free movies or cheap copies of design furniture, it is done without agreements with the right holders, who have put time, energy and money into producing a piece of culture or an experience that you can enjoy. In other words, the creators are not paid for their work, but instead - in many cases - criminals behind the illegal website will earn money, which is often used for financing organized crime.

For you as a consumer, this also means that you become vulnerable to malicious software also known as malware that can retrieve private information such as images and credit card information from your computer - information that often ends up in the hands of criminals. Moreover, it is not only yourself who becomes vulnerable - even your friends and family can become vulnerable, if you have sensitive information about them on your computer.

Read more at sharewithcare.dk (in Danish)

A balance between interests

The rules on copyright are a balance between two interests. On the one hand, it must be ensured that creative and performing artists receive payment for others' use of their works. On the other hand, users' access to - and the spread - of literary or artistic works should not be unnecessarily limited. The rules are thus in the interest of society, right holders and users as they promote new production and at the same time secure the spreading of literature and artistic works.

Consequences

Violation of the copyright law can result in fines or imprisonment. You also risk being liable for damages. This also applies, if you contribute to an infringement.