Filesharing/torrent downloads in HK: Illegal? Prosecuted?

[HKboiii]

Hi y'all

As this question is more to do with HK than with computers per se, I thought this would be the right forum - if a moderator disagrees, please feel free to move the thread.

We are seeing crackdowns on filesharers (torrent downloaders etc.) all over the world so I was wondering what the legal situation and, more importantly, the actual handling of this was in HK.

I am sure it is just as illegal to download (and thereby also offer to upload) copyrighted material here as it is anywhere else in the world but, if the owner of the material catches your IP address, are HK internet providers required by law (or goodwill) to reveal your identity to the rights owner and thereby putting your head on the block?

Of course I would NEVER illegally download copyrighted material. Never. Am just wondering about this as copyright infringement does not seem to be an issue high on the agenda on the mainland.

[Trance Omega]

You can find a previous discussion here.

I admit to using torrents to download TV shows but don't seed.

[Skyhook]

This is quiet a funny thing actually, I got a warning from my internet provider in Paris for downloading music via my torrent down loader which was two cds worth of less than 60mb, to add onto my USB stick to play in our cars infotainment system.

I was pretty surprised that they would be that proactive in France, but seems that they are. So be warned in the EU, they're on to us lol.

In HK I have never had any issue and never SEED and it's usually to download TV series, or movies that I wouldnt usually spend money on anyway, as I only collect really good movies to add to my Blu Ray collection. It also works in the favour of the record/film companies, as I have purchased Blu Ray movies of some of the ones I have downloaded via torrent, purchasing them at a later date, if I really liked them.

Same goes for music, I have come across new artists via torrent downloads, that I have purchased CD's of at a later date, so the record company cant have it all its own way.

[Trance Omega]

Agree. I usually watch only once but if it is something really good I would end up purchasing it to get the HD version with no annoying TV channel icon in the corner or the ads below.

[Fatelvis]

I used to download using BT clients but have found a couple of sites where you can stream the TV shows directly so need to even bother with that anymore.

[jgl]

This is quiet a funny thing actually, I got a warning from my internet provider in Paris for downloading music via my torrent down loader which was two cds worth of less than 60mb, to add onto my USB stick to play in our cars infotainment system.

I was pretty surprised that they would be that proactive in France, but seems that they are. So be warned in the EU, they're on to us lol.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07..._law_shot_down

Seems like there are/were pretty serious about it.

[100LL]

How do you use a BT client but not seed? ??? (I assume you mean upload with seed)

[Trance Omega]

I just manually remove and delete the seeding file after download is complete and move the avi file to another location. You can also set it via your client but I have never gotten around to doing this other then limiting the amount of files to be uploaded at any one time.

[wtbhotia]

download, once complete delete the torrent, move file.

NEVER EVER SEED OR UPLOAD HK MADE MOVIES, thats when they come for you.

[vmlinuz]

download, once complete delete the torrent, move file.

NEVER EVER SEED OR UPLOAD HK MADE MOVIES, thats when they come for you.

Is there actually any evidence of "them" coming for anyone for private torrenting? Except for that one well-known case - which was Hollywood movies, not HK - years ago?