(2017-07-01, 00:59)da-anda Wrote: I know I'm gonna regret writing in here, but if the DMCA only applies for US citizens, then it's IMO up to archive.org to restrict access to the according content outside the US. Same like any other geo-blocking around these days. If the content would come from a locker site or some other fishy website, it would be pretty clear that stuff is very likely illegal, but as archive.org is well known by all content creators, IMO this site can be considered a legit source. Yes, there might be some piracy on there, but so is on Youtube, and that's nothing we can change either. Should we remove the Youtube add-on as well? What about twitch? I'm pretty sure some of the streams are done by playing a pirated copy of a game.
The problem is not the addon or the website, it's about the fact that addons hide things to users.
I'll try with simple words:
A user find Kodi website, install it, install any addon then use it.
He have access to content it's cool. But he have no idea about the website rules or TOS. It's fully hidden to him and since it's written everywhere that everything is fully legal, he have no reason to check the website to verify the status in his country. Or to open the website in his browser to seek for the TOS.
You can't ask the user to know what happens inside the addons and check what applies to them.
https://archive.org/about/terms.php
If the website have a TOS that says "Some of the content available through the Archive may be governed by local, national, and/or international laws and regulations, and your use of such content is solely at your own risk. You agree to abide by all applicable laws and regulations, including intellectual property laws, in connection with your use of the Archive" then the addon
MUST show that to the user and people should stop saying it's legal by default.
Because this TOS is pretty clear, this may not be legal in many countries.
So again last try to open some minds:
Impressions are not each countries laws, US laws are not other countries laws. Please check your communication as most of your users are not US citizens but most users will blindly believe what the Team says.
And when a problem arise to them, I'm not sure that they could defend themselves by saying "Kodi Team said it was legal".
_____
About emulation, I owned a full size arcade cabinet with Mame before my wife made me sell it
And I documented myself about legality.
In France it's very clear:
- All console BIOS are copyrighted material and illegal to own, so any core that require a BIOS and an addon that automatically download it, makes something illegal in France. (Have no checked if any current cores does actually need any BIOS just global fact about retrogaming).
- All ROM dumps are copyrighted material and more than 80% of them are still under copyright laws. So any addon that allow to download the ROMS is illegal if the user does not own the original.
Most french sites that allowed to download ROMS were closed due to those legality problems.
Retrogaming is cool today so even Nintendo sells retrogaming things:
https://www.nintendo.fr/Divers/Nintendo-...38330.html
So yes if that addons goes in official repository it will be illegal in many countries and users should be fully aware of that ......