Warez, serials & cracks

[The Professor]

After some recent confusion over whether the post (links to) 'warez', serials, cracks and other such illegal content that finds its way onto the internet, we have decided to clarify the matter.

So to make perfectly clear - it is not allowed to post (links to) illegal downloads, including cracks, serials and warez on the Forum. Any such posts will be dealt with in the usual manner (usernote > warning > infraction). However, discussion of serials etc is not forbidden and can be freely and openly discussed providing, of course, that no links or serials are provided.

Thanks!

The Forum Management Team

How, where and why did this change come about? For the past 5 years or so the policy has always been "we'll turn a blind eye to it, if you get a virus on your head be it" and that's always been nvr's view too AFAIK.

[Misawa]

Since this activity is ILLEGAL, it makes perfect sense that this be against the rules as it's against the law. I raised this issue the other day. Without such acitivites banned, the forum is outright hypocritical and contradictory. It's welcome for this place to abide by the law.

[Sammeth.]

How, where and why did this change come about? For the past 5 years or so the policy has always been "we'll turn a blind eye to it, if you get a virus on your head be it" and that's always been nvr's view too AFAIK.

Yeah it was a shock to me too, didn't even realise people were confused about it. It's (as far as I know) been nvrs policy, and its been just fine so far.

[Nixt]

Up until this point we have indeed turned a blind eye to such activities. It was never expressly against the rules however as Misawa pointed out for the most part, it is illegal and we would much prefer not to have the hosting suspended for breaking the law. It was discussed with with the acting General Manager before we decided to do it and it was decided it was in Habbox's interests to stop it happening. Besides, there are many other sources of such things all over the internet - all of them a lot better than Habbox.

[kk.]

so what if we provide a link to a site that has these links on, such as linking to a thread on warez-bb? and what if people dont know where to look. also, what if someone says where can i get this, then asks someone to PM them, is that against the rules. These things need to be cleared up

[Nixt]

Links to threads containg warez etc is against the rules as well.

(edited due to my mistake)

[kk.]

surely then you may as well post the links direct to the download. Youre responsible for the content that is on this site and so therefore posting a link to a place where you can just click another link and start downloading is just as bad as posting the link directly. Stupid rule tbh. nothing has come up before about the legality and im sure you havnt been fined so why the sudden decision. if anything came up you can just say youll start to enforce a new rule.

Revert, i say.

[The Professor]

Linking to sites that provide warez etc (such as Warez BB) is fine, as that is an external link and we are not responsible for it's content. Asking for links would be encouraging others to break rules and is therefore forbidden. But if someone posted something like:

"I watched ______ last night, downloaded it from Warez BB *LINK TO THREAD*" it would be okay, however if they posted

"I wathced ______ last night, downloaded it *LINK TO RAR FILE*" it would violate the rules.

What's the difference? Its exactly the same means to exactly the same end except the user has to go through the trouble of copying and pasting the link from the first post of the thread on warez-bb. Its as close as matters to exactly how it was before, to me this just screams half baked attempt at trying to look like we care about legality. That wasn't even my original point but now it's been brought up I feel it should be addressed pretty sharpish because it's just made everything more confusing than before you clarified it!

[Nixt]

I apologise for the confusion, it was my mistake too. It is fine to discuss cracks etc but it is against the rules to post links to threads on things such as warez bb.

You can say find a torrent on it. Or look on rapidshare - that's fine. My mistake, and again I apologise.

[kk.]

Stupid rule tbh. nothing has come up before about the legality and im sure you havnt been fined so why the sudden decision. if anything came up you can just say youll start to enforce a new rule.

^ ^ ^