Portuguese Authorities Say It’s OK to Share Copyrighted Movies and Music

Representatives of Portugal’s Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) have dismissed a complaint filed by the Trade Association of Audiovisual and Cultural Works and Entertainment of Portugal (ACAPOR) against 2,000 P2P sites accused of sharing copyrighted movies.

In most of the world’s countries there’s a constant battle between copyright holders and those who share or download their products on the Internet. Each side wins a battle from time to time. In this case, the battle is won by those who fight for the freedom of information.

ACAPOR filed a complaint back in early 2011 with the Attorney General’s Office, which ordered an investigation from DIAP. After conducting its inquiry, DIAP concluded that the owners of the 2,000 websites did nothing wrong, Exame Informatica reports.

The agency believes that ACAPOR is somewhat right, but it claims that if the content is downloaded or shared for personal use only, it shouldn't be considered illegal.

Furthermore, prosecutors highlighted the fact that the artists themselves should be the ones to declare that they aren't authorizing copying for personal use, TorrentFreak notes.

On the other hand, ACAPOR’s representatives are determined to appeal the decision, claiming that DIAP is trying to avoid sending out 2,000 letters, interviewing 2,000 people and analyzing 2,000 computers.