What are the worst things can happen if you get caught downloading copyrighted materials? (how to, work)

[neoiey]

Can copyright owners file lawsuits against you? is there anyone in the US got sued for copyright infringement?

[Pruzhany]

Yes and how many links do you want of people actually being sued?

Here's one:
Minnesota woman to pay $220,000 fine for 24 illegally downloaded songs | Technology | The Guardian

[Bo]

You could lose Internet service through your ISP.

[LakeLifePA]

Originally Posted by Pruzhany

Yes and how many links do you want of people actually being sued?

Here's one:
Minnesota woman to pay $220,000 fine for 24 illegally downloaded songs | Technology | The Guardian

That's a nearly three year old article. Things have changed quite a bit since then.

Originally Posted by Bo

You could lose Internet service through your ISP.

This is the new standard.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Pruzhany

Yes and how many links do you want of people actually being sued?

Here's one:
Minnesota woman to pay $220,000 fine for 24 illegally downloaded songs | Technology | The Guardian

That's not about downloading is it? It's about sharing the downloaded music on the internet, if I read it right.

[Mr_Geek]

In order:

Bad quality media
Warning by your ISP
Viruses
Losing service from your ISP
Fines
Jail
Murdered by a rogue anti-piracy person

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Mr_Geek

In order:

Bad quality media

Funny store I read once, there was error in a commercial disc and the pirates fixed it for their copy. LOL The quality of pirated material can be identical to the original.... so that depends on the source

Fines
Jail

No jail time or fines unless it's criminal enterprise e.g. mass distribution of pirated discs. This is a civil matter in most cases. the copyright owner needs to file a lawsuit and at most there will be a civil judgement.

[sholomar]

VPN and proxy services can protect your IP address from being revealed. I would suggest not using torrents without a proxy or vpn properly set up on a torrent client that will not 'leak' information outside your proxy settings. I will not give out specific information on how to pirate on an internet forum.

Usually they will just give your ISP notices and so many of them and you lose internet service.

[NJBest]

Originally Posted by stockwiz

VPN and proxy services can protect your IP address from being revealed. I would suggest not using torrents without a proxy or vpn properly set up on a torrent client that will not 'leak' information outside your proxy settings. I will not give out specific information on how to pirate on an internet forum.

Usually they will just give your ISP notices and so many of them and you lose internet service.

You don't have to worry about anything as long as you use torrents that are of material that can be freely distributed.

It's better to just pay for copyrighted material than pirate it.

[jimazee]

Originally Posted by Mr_Geek

In order:

Bad quality media
Warning by your ISP
Viruses
Losing service from your ISP
Fines
Jail
Murdered by a rogue anti-piracy person

... drone strike