Whenever you try downloading videos from
YouTube or any other video sharing portal for that matter, then you experience
fear. This fear stems from the fact that downloading videos from YouTube could
be illegal and you could land up in loads of trouble. Well, technically
speaking, downloading and using videos that you do not own or have the
permission to use, is a violation of the intellectual property rights. But
there are ways in which you can do this and much more without breaking the law.
It is illegal to download copyrighted
videos from YouTube and most other sources. It is a violation of YouTube’s
terms of service to download videos that do not have a Download button or link
beneath the video in question. Here is how you can work out a way to avoid any
legal implications / issues and still get your favourite video.
Get Permission to Download Copyrighted Content
This is the best and safest way to avoid
troubles while downloading content that you do not have ownership of. If you
like a video that you wish to download, write to the owner specifying your
interest to download the content. Make sure you mention the correct usage of
the downloaded video and clarify your intentions so that you get permission for
using the content. Depending upon the owner’s preference, you could either end
up paying some amount for using the content, or you could get permission to use
the content without having to pay any amount at all.
Download for Personal Use Only
If you are in urgent need for a video
content, then you can download it using any of the free tools such as
onlinevideoconverter and get it converted to a preferred format. However, you
need to ensure that the end usage of the downloaded content is personal with no
indulgence in activities aimed at making profit from the content. Any activity
which generates money from the download content (which you do not own
personally) is a direct violation of the copyright laws. If commercial usage is
required, then get in touch with the owner of the content to seek permission for
using it.
Download YouTube Videos for Offline Viewing
Countries like India often face issues with
internet speed which causes problems in streaming videos in HD from platforms
like YouTube. You might have faced this issue where continuous buffering is required
for a video to stream in HD. Not only does this create frustration in the user,
but it also reduces the goodwill of the brand owing to poor user experience. In
order to cater to the needs of its users, YouTube has come out with a download
feature which is meant to enable offline viewing of contents. However, there
are certain conditions applicable to the downloaded videos.
Source:Quick
Online Tips
Not all videos can be download with this
option due to the prevalence of copyright infringement issues. If YouTube
considers any video suitable for downloading, then it will display the
“download’ icon beneath the player. Once this icon is clicked, a separate
dialogue box will open up indicating different video resolution qualities and
you can choose which one to download. Once downloaded, the video would be
available for offline viewing for 48 hours, after which it would not be
playable. This download facility is currently available for smartphones and
iPad devices only where it can be viewed multiple times till the validity of
the video expires.
This download facility has been made
available for countries like India where public internet is patchy, and overall
internet speeds are slow. In developed countries, there is the provision of
public Wi-Fi where streaming videos on YouTube should not prove to be a hassle.
If you are planning on downloading videos to your computer with this method, then
it would be an exercise in futility. The download icon would only be enabled in
the app which can be accessed on mobile devices. With this facility, YouTube
intends to provide a better user experience without contributing towards
copyrighting infringement.
Understand
The Technical Implications
It is important for you to understand the
difference between infringement of a legal term and the violation of policies
of a website like YouTube. Technically speaking, the legality
of downloading YouTube videos lies in a grey area where it has become
difficult to define the applicable things with clarity.
Go through the
guidelines and policies of YouTube and make sure you read the fine print before
indulging in any activity that could land you in trouble. Avoid videos such as
trailers, music videos, commercial videos, etc. that have copyrights. After
all, you would not want to fall in legal trouble for being impatient and not
following the law as stated.
