QUESTION
Is legal to use a YouTube converter to download free music that I will only use for personal use?
Asked on Jul 08th, 2012 on Entertainment Law - New York
More details to this question:
I've been told various different things and I want the correct answer. I've been told that it is illegal because you are not paying for the song, not every uploader is the copyright owner of the song. I heard it is legal as long as the song is uncopyrighted, the song is taken from a video that the owner has placed in public domain (the uploader is not always the owner of the song). If the user has already uploaded the song it is already public domain regardless of if the uploader is the copyright owner, the converting of a song is like recording a video from your TV. I am confused, please tell me what is right, I do not want to break the law by accident.
1 ANSWER
2 Awards
It is not like recording a TV show from your TV because the copyright holder is transmitting the TV show for your use and you are allowed under federal law to make a single home use copy of the show. The folks who are uploading the music or video to You Tube have no right to do so most of the time and just because it is on the internet does not make it "public domain." Public domain is a very technical legal term for a work of art that has been around for so long that all copyright claims to it have expired. Currently that period of time is 70 years after the death of the authors). So the quick answer is it is likely not legal to do what you describe though it is also not likely that you will be sued for doing it either.
Answered on Aug 10th, 2012 at 9:16 PM