Fines for a violation of the European Copyright Fines for violating the copyright laws are currently limited to €1,000 for first-time offenders and the lawyer's fees will set you back a further €150.
Yes. Using legal streaming websites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Apple TV, YouTube etc. is completely legal in Germany.
Streaming pirated content in Germany is illegal, no matter if you can get caught or not. At this time, there is not really a way for law firms to track people who stream. But there is always a risk. The best is to respect copyright and do not stream any pirated content.
The bottom line
If you're simply watching a stream of unlicensed content, you're not technically breaking the law. Where it becomes a crime is if you download the movie or show or host a stream yourself.
Disclaimer: Live Work Germany does not condone piracy. Artists and copyright holders should be supported, and piracy is illegal in Germany. The following guide is solely for information purposes. If you want to download or stream copyrighted material in Germany, then beware!
Streaming content that does not follow the proper copyright rules is illegal in Germany. An example of illegal streaming sites in Germany is 123movies or similar. Streaming services like Netflix, Discord, Twitch, and YouTube, however, are completely legal to use.
Yes! Torrenting is illegal in Germany, just like streaming. There are instances of imposing heavy fines on those who dare to download their favorite movies. The German government strictly warns its German citizens to not download any copyrighted files such as major theatrical movie releases, TV shows, and pornography.
Piracy is illegal
Piracy refers to the accessing of copyright materials without the authorisation of the copyright owner. It is therefore illegal and infringes copyright law. In Australia, there is no registration process for copyrighted material, and it is automatically protected under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).
The 123Movies clone sites are considered to be illegal sites in some parts of the world, since they share copyrighted material without permission.
Many VPN users will turn to a VPN to help remain anonymous so that they can effectively engage in illegal or legally gray area streaming activities. A VPN service will hide copyright infringement activities, but it won't protect users who are caught even after using a VPN service.
Yes, VPNs are completely legal in Germany. Currently, no legislation exists against VPN usage within the country. This means you can use one without having to worry about any legal consequences, but there are some exceptions. If you conduct illicit activities behind a VPN, you're still breaking the law.
Nevertheless, theoretically, you can be prosecuted for illegally streaming or downloading movies online. What is more likely to happen is that the people who provide illegal online movie streaming services will be prosecuted.
In general, you can take photos of people in public spaces, but there are some exceptions. You can't take photos of people if it shows their helplessness. For example, you can't take photos of accident victims, drunk people or nude people without their permission. This also applies to celebrities.
Germany has taken many forms throughout the history of censorship in the country. Various regimes have restricted the press, cinema, literature, and other entertainment venues. In contemporary Germany, the Grundgesetz (Basic Law) generally guarantees freedom of press, speech, and opinion.
The use of Tor is not illegal in Germany. However, the German government has blocked some Tor exit nodes, so you may need a VPN to effectively use Tor while in Germany.
Stalking and cyberstalking fall under the criminal offence of stalking, regulated in § 238 German Criminal Code (StGB). According to this provision, anyone who unauthorisedly stalks another person in a way likely to affect their way of life seriously is punished with a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine.
Daily Mail Australia's post
Illegal streaming site 123movies is banned in Australia. Australia in Feed?
Even if 123Movies is available in your country, you still need a VPN to protect yourself from cybercrime. CyberGhost VPN offers you an all-in-one subscription with international servers, fast speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and much more! Watch your favorite shows on 123Movies with peace of mind.
The original name, and URL, was 123movies.to, which changed to other domains including 123movies.is before redirecting to gomovies.to and later gomovies.is.
Torrenting in Australia is legal, however there are some considerations that users should be aware of. The Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) governs copyright law in Australia and sets out strict penalties for infringement.
It may not be ethical and downloaders might be sued for copyright infringement, but there are no laws that criminalise Australians downloading and watching content for their own individual use.
Illegal and restricted online content includes material that shows or encourages child sexual abuse, terrorism or other extreme violence. eSafety can direct an online service or platform to remove illegal content or ensure that restricted content can only be accessed by people who are 18 or older.
Fines for a violation of the European Copyright
Fines for violating the copyright laws are currently limited to €1,000 for first-time offenders and the lawyer's fees will set you back a further €150.
Germany's Network Enforcement Act, or NetzDG law represents a key test for combatting hate speech on the internet. Under the law, which came into effect on January 1, 2018, online platforms face fines of up to €50 million for systemic failure to delete illegal content.
Ideally, you'll use a VPN that has plenty of servers in both Germany and neighboring countries. In fact, we'd recommend using a non-German server (and thus IP address) when torrenting, since it'll further protect you from scrutiny. But your download/upload speeds could suffer if the server is too far away.