Is it legal to download videos from YouTube? Then, is it illegal to upload videos onto YouTube? Hah~hah~ It’s like the question: egg came first or the chicken afterwards?
As someone pointed out: downloading personal copies of YouTube videos is not supported by the YouTube Terms of Service, which states: “You may access User Submissions for your information and personal use solely as intended through the provided functionality of the YouTube Website. You shall not copy or download any User Submission unless you see a “download” or similar link displayed by YouTube on the YouTube Website for that User Submission.”
Different viewpoints: It’s only as legal as the video itself that was uploaded. If copyrighted material was uploaded illegally, then it would also be illegal to download it onto your machine. If you are caught with illegal videos, the penalties will cost much more than if you had just bought the item in the first place.
See YouTube’s answer to the question “Can I download videos to watch later?” In which they state” In general, download videos from YouTube is not supported.” They do not imply it’s illegal to download using third-party software, only that the site provides no method to download videos. Sounds like Video, Audio, DVD, CD format compatible conversion for Apple “i series” digital media players – iPod, iPad, iPhone. Have you ever heard that Apple report you can’t convert video audio to iPod? If it’s that, then iPod is a disabler currently. Whatever, Apple has the iTunes for iPod, where’s the YouTube’s “YouTube downloader“. I can’t imagine, if Apple and youtube.com become a partnership, it’s the new age of downloader or converter or what??
Chances are you won’t get caught and nothing will happen, but on the other hand the owner of the content you copied could pursue copyright infringement damages if you reuse or sell their content without permission and YouTube could ban you from their services for breaking the EULA/terms. Or worst of all you could end up facing criminal copyright infringement charges that have substantial fines and possible jail time (at least in the United States). Depending on who your ISP is there could be issues there as well with their terms, you could get expelled from school or college if using their networks as a student, or get fired from work if using an employer’s internet for copyright infringement.
If by personal use, the answer is yes if you mean having the file available on your own hard drive for off line viewing. If you by personal use, you mean sharing it with friends or posting it on your personal Facebook page, then no, you can’t legally do that without license from the copyright owner.
As to the case like: you edit the downloaded YouTube video, and modify the video/soundtrack on Windows Movie Maker or Video Audio Converter , does it become your own video? Only the copyrighter has the answer! In addition, if you just extract the song/soundtrack/music off a downloaded YouTube video to make a special Ringtone, then if it’s illegal, god! YouTube is like a jail, and we were arrested there. Cuz I do believe that there are incalculable copies in the world.(China Copy is a convincing evidence.) Of course, the prerequisite is “by personal use”.
Will you get caught? Not likely, only because the manpower needed to track down and enforce the law is under budgeted. But hey, every now and then someone gets nailed big time for the feds to set an example. That’s a lottery you don’t want to win. Hah~it’s more like off-topic.
Posted in 
Tags: 
