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Comment by ErikRogneby | Hacker News Reader

Why have a Terms of Service for what is clearly an illegal site? https://popcorntime.io/tos

Because it's not clearly illegal...

For instance, here's a google search [0] that gives you access to the same pirated material that Popcorn Time does (but with a worse UI)

Does this mean google is an illegal site? Is HN an illegal site? It can get pretty complex.

[0]: https://www.google.com/search?q=yify+jurassic+world+filetype...

Out of interest it works using Bittorrent right?

In Germany you won't have problems downloading movies, but uploading them gets you quickly a nasty letter and further abuses escalates to prosecution.

Since Popcorntime is using Bittoerrent, does it just download, or does it upload too?

Both, like any Bittorrent client. The difference is it uses a library which prioritises certain file chunks so that you can watch it as you download (stream it).

How is it an illegal site if it doesn't host copyrighted content? In my jurisdiction that's completely legal.

The site is international and there are many countries where what they are doing is not illegal.

Here is a map of where it is illegal. (the blue) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention#/media/File:B...

Not really. Popcorntime doesn't provide copyrighted material, it just helps access and consume it, same as your laptop, TV, Chromecast or cellphone. Besides, the technology behind Popcorn could be used to access open content, therefore, the Berne Convention doesn't explicitly apply here.

Helpling access and consume it is called secondary liability: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_liability

I expect the case law around this sort of thing will continue to evolve.

I wonder if it'd be difficult to add an index from vodo.net to Popcorn Time. If they also added a link to the pay/donate API, that might actually give some of the Vodo.net-releases some much needed money (given the market share Popcorn Time apparently has).

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