There’s probably an argument against my point, but this sure ain’t it. I can watch every Disney movie for free on the internet, but that doesn’t make it legal.
What's illegal here is unauthorized distribution. Downloading a copy of something from a public server cannot get you in trouble here. Only publishing does.
It's not and never was. In 2008 it even got raised from a civil to a criminal offense. It's a common misconception because it is more lucrative to go after people that also upload/publish due to higher possible damages.
What's illegal here is unauthorized distribution. Downloading a copy of something from a public server cannot get you in trouble here. Only publishing does.