can i get caught or fined for downloading torrent files?

[Angela]

Okay so I'm not an idiot, I know its illegal to download music, movies, etc for free but I want to know can you get caught from downloading torrent files like from kickasstorrents.com or btjunkie.com ?
What is the penelty for such a crime? Iive in Michigan btw, i dont if that makes a difference or not. Thank you!

 

[krti]

well.. u get less penalty but the person who shares stuff really on trouble..

 

[JimmyKane]

You won't be punished, but when you die, you'll go to hell and dead musicians will get to gangrape you. Say hello to Kurt Cobain for me.

 

[Allen]

unlikely but possible. Its much too easy to download things for free.

 

[miDrumm]

Physically, its pretty hard to track people down by torrents. Unless you are uploading or running a torrent site, (in my opinion) there is little to worry about.

Although I know you're american, heres an excerpt for Canada's wikipedia page on file sharing for personal use:

According to the RCMP it is impossible to track down who uploads music or movies to the Internet. The police simply do not have the time nor the resources to go after file sharers. "Piracy for personal use is no longer targeted", said Noël St-Hilaire, head of copyright theft investigations of the RCMP in an interview with Le Devoir. St-Hilaire explained that they would rather focus on crimes that actually hurt consumers such as copyright violations related to medicine and electrical appliances, as well as ones that affect organized crime.

As you can see its last on their minds. I believe it would be the same for the states. The only case I've heard of being remotely fined for downloading for personal use was a friend of mine got a warning message from Metallica's lawyer - which was ordered by the band themselves.