I like to create a website that search the Gnutella network (peer to peer technology like kazaa) and display the results in my website so the surfer can download the result file.
I would like to know if this is illegal or not.

Please advice.

It's not illegal as long as it's not intended for illegal purposes, although it can be abused...so it's kind of a gray area.

Thanks for the info ToastyX.
I just talked to a cyber lawyer and he said as long as the file to download is not in my server that will be okay, thats why big company like kazaa and other with p2p technology are still operating because the files to download serve in the clients PC

Napster didn't store anything on their servers either, though.

Originally posted by jeffrylee
Thanks for the info ToastyX.
I just talked to a cyber lawyer and he said as long as the file to download is not in my server that will be okay, thats why big company like kazaa and other with p2p technology are still operating because the files to download serve in the clients PC

I hope your right because I thought the only reason that kazaa was still around was because they were outside of the US copyright law.

also make sure that your host does not have a problem, because if they do they will not renue your hosting contract.


Mike

Whether it's legal or not is debateable and not something I'm qualified to offer advice on. I can almost promise you lawsuits from both the RIAA and the MPAA if you site becomes reasonably popular though.

Napster didn't store anything on their servers either, though.

That's not true. As far as I remember napster stored a list of all downloadable files on their central servers so they were actually able to stop everyone downloading if they wanted. The new services like Kazaa are true P2P so even if Kazaa were shut down it would still be usuable by all the people who had downloaded it!!

Originally posted by RFhost
That's not true. As far as I remember napster stored a list of all downloadable files on their central servers so they were actually able to stop everyone downloading if they wanted. The new services like Kazaa are true P2P so even if Kazaa were shut down it would still be usuable by all the people who had downloaded it!!

That's what I thought the difference was too.

Greg Moore

Originally posted by RFhost
That's not true. As far as I remember napster stored a list of all downloadable files on their central servers so they were actually able to stop everyone downloading if they wanted. The new services like Kazaa are true P2P so even if Kazaa were shut down it would still be usuable by all the people who had downloaded it!!
You're right, I had forgotten about that... :)

I dont think it matters if it's legal or not. If your site gets popular the riaa and mpaa will sue you anyway, and bury you in legal fee's.

Because of negative feedback i received regarding to this post, even in other forum, I guess I have to think another project that will not cause problem.

Thanks ;)