The legality of linking

[getitdone1]

Is posting links to this group to copyrighted performances (in this case, piano performances) illegal?

Too, it's often impossible to know for sure if a performance is copyrighted.

I read that linking is NOT copying therefore there is no copyright infringement.  But, I read if you link to a performance that has been illegally copied--KNOWINGLY--you have then committed copyright infringement.

Can anyone here shed some light on this topic? 

What is this forums policy regarding it's members posting links HERE to musical performances on the internet--especially, YouTube?
Don

[Bob]

Haha... Interesting.  I wonder what Nils will say.

I've wondered about the Youtube posts but there is so much on there.  (And I'm glad it is on there.  Some of that I would never have found or run across otherwise.)

I'm guessing Nils doesn't take that stuff down.  Youtube must deal with that.  But I have seen Nils remove links to sites that have copyrighted PDFs or images or music.

[nilsjohan]

Yes, it can be illegal to link to copyrighted material. The forum policy is that links to illegally published material are not allowed. In the case of YouTube which is owned by Google one can assume, as Bob mentions, they deal with it but links to obvious copyright infringements on YouTube may be removed from the forum.

[retrouvailles]

Is posting links to this group to copyrighted performances (in this case, piano performances) illegal?

I understand why some people are concerned over this, but just how many times have you heard about the RIAA being concerned over classical music and copyright infringements? They go after people who pirate the big money musicians, so I think you are safe here.