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For the past two to three weeks I'm really confused about this thing. There are sites online that offer free content to watch. It's written in their site that they don't host any videos and their videos are uploaded by users. So that video may be copyright but site claims no ownership of that videos. Similarly some pirated videos are also uploaded on YouTube by some users. ´

Are we allowed to watch them? Would we be stealing if we are streaming such videos?
I'm not talking about downloading, copying or distributing but is only streaming also not allowed?

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Even if you are not downloading, copying or distributing the content you are still consuming it in a different way. You are enjoying the content in a way in which you would otherwise have had to pay money for. If the creator of the content has not agreed for it to be published on this website then you are operating against his wishes and possibly damaging his financial livelihood -- theft in other words.

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  • What about YouTube. YouTube removes any video that is copyrighted. Why we are to held accountable if someone uploads a copyrighted video. Secondly what do u think about fair clause use?
    – Mr Mithrandir
    Commented Jun 2, 2020 at 17:57
  • If you happen to unknowingly and unintentionally stumble upon copyrighted material then of course you can't be held accountable. That however was not the issue in mind, you were specifically talking about a website illegally hosting copyrighted material -- that is equivalent to physically entering a black market and obtaining illegal goods. I also think fair use is great. These websites aren't fair use though now are they? They don't use snippets of copyrighted material, they use the entirety of them and put on a myriad of commercials and receive undeserved profit.
    – RandomUser
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 12:55
  • Bro some are completely free non commercialized add free websites which are created by fans. So what's your opinion regarding those websites? And btw how do i know that a video in YouTube is pirated or not.?
    – Mr Mithrandir
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 17:42
  • Also can we pirate things which are not available in our country?
    – Mr Mithrandir
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 17:56
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    Even if they receive no monetary benefit from ads, they or their website are still receiving publicity. Even if they had uploaded the content without any devious intention and solely due to their admiration of said content that would still against the wishes of the creator of the content because they are redirecting his viewership to themselves, and possibly causing him financial loss. By putting it out there on the internet they are also allowing other people to pirate said content, further damaging the content creator.
    – RandomUser
    Commented Jun 3, 2020 at 22:18

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