How can you be fined for "stealing" music?

Question

How does youtube post hundreds and thousands of music videos and music for free online for anybody to look at at any point in time. Lets sue them for sharing their music with everybody. How is youtube any different than me having a song and letting my friend see it? It's okay for him to check out youtube, but not my download of the song?

so if i just make my own website and put music all over it is it suddenly okay for me to take the music?

so can i just Provide myself and Friends with music!?

and what is the difference between me listening to the radio, which by the way is FREE, and Me listening to some free music myself, and what if I want to be my OWN dj of music, why can't i do that. apparently the artists don't mind their music flying through airwaves for free, but it's not okay now that I am the DJ, they are just money hungry babies.

Answer 1

YouTube does not "post" videos. YouTube users do. If copyright holders inform YouTube that their material is on YouTube, YouTube removes it. There is a law that currently protects YouTube as they are the host and not the provider of the content. The music industry is challenging that law in court. The hearings are still going on and the end results are still unknown.

The music on the radio is not "free". It's paid for. The radio station pays the owner of the music to play the music on the air. The radio station gets income from advertisers that pay to have their advertisements played on the air.

Answer 2

Youtube is sued regularly, and for many millions of dollars. Search "viacom youtube suit" for example.

also, check out chillingeffects.org to learn about legal issues surrounding these matters in a nonjudgmental way.

Answer 3

and that fine was hellacious..........