Can Sharing Pirated Links in an Online Group Also Constitute Infringement? Public Transmission and the Risk of Aiding Copyright Infringement When Forwarding Links to Film and Television Content

With the widespread use of LINE groups, Telegram channels, Facebook groups, Discord communities, and various membership platforms, many people have become accustomed to sharing videos, articles, images, music, or website links within groups. Sharing information from lawful sources generally presents little concern; however, sharing links to pirated films, television series, anime, live sporting events, or paid courses may create copyright risks.

Many people mistakenly believe: "I only posted a URL. I did not download anything or upload the video to my own account, so it should not constitute infringement." Under copyright law, however, the inquiry is not limited to whether a file was downloaded. It also considers the recipients of the link, the content to which the link leads, whether the person sharing the link knew that the content was pirated, and whether the conduct facilitated access to infringing content by others.

Case Background: Is It Really Harmless to Post a Pirated Film or Television Website in a Group?

Suppose a film and television fan finds a website offering the latest movies and television series for free. Despite knowing that the website is not a lawfully licensed platform, the person posts the link in a film and television discussion group with more than one hundred members and includes text such as, "You can watch here for free without a subscription."

The person sharing the link may believe that, because no video was downloaded to a computer and no video file was uploaded to cloud storage, merely reposting a URL should not constitute infringement. However, if the link clearly leads to pirated content and the recipients are unspecified persons or multiple specified persons, the conduct may still be regarded as providing assistance in the dissemination and viewing of infringing content.

An Online Group Is Not Necessarily a "Private Space"

Under the Copyright Act, "the public" includes unspecified persons or multiple specified persons, except multiple persons in a household and the normal social acquaintances of that household. Accordingly, sharing within a group is not necessarily a private act.

If the group members consist only of a small number of family members or close friends, the nature of the group may be closer to normal social interaction. However, if the group is a film and television fan community, member discussion group, fan group, course community, company activity group, or open discussion forum, the members may not have family or normal social relationships with one another. If the group also has a large number of members, the sharing may be regarded as communication to "the public."

Providing a Simple Hyperlink Differs from Sharing a Pirated Link

Generally, merely providing a hyperlink that allows others to click through to the original webpage to view content is not necessarily equivalent to directly exploiting a work. However, if the person sharing the link knows that it points to pirated film or television content, unauthorized music, an illegal comic website, or infringing course videos, yet actively shares it with group members for viewing, the conduct may be more than the neutral provision of information.

In such circumstances, the sharing may be regarded as assisting others in accessing infringing content and may even make the person sharing the link an accomplice or aider and abettor in the infringement of economic rights. The risk is particularly high if the person also provides viewing instructions, circumvention methods, tips for free viewing, download instructions, or methods for bypassing payment.

Potential Liability for Aiding Infringement of the Right of Public Transmission

Under the Copyright Act, "public transmission" means making available or communicating the content of a work to the public through the Internet or other means of communication, enabling members of the public to receive the content at a time or place individually chosen by them.

A pirated website that makes film or television content available for public viewing may infringe the right of public transmission. If a person knows that the website provides pirated content and nevertheless distributes the link to group members, that person may be regarded as facilitating or assisting the infringement and may therefore face legal risks for aiding infringement.

Businesses and Community Operators Should Also Pay Attention to Management Responsibilities

These issues do not arise only among ordinary internet users. A business that operates a brand community, membership group, course platform, internal learning group, or customer exchange channel may also encounter members sharing pirated videos, unauthorized e-books, cracked software, pirated courses, or illegal live-streaming links.

If a business or community administrator does not manage group content at all, or even acquiesces in, encourages, or pins infringing links, this may damage the brand image and increase the risk of legal disputes. Accordingly, businesses should establish basic content-sharing rules and management mechanisms when operating communities or membership platforms.

Common High-Risk Sharing Practices

• Sharing pirated film and television websites: Knowingly distributing links in groups or communities to websites that provide unauthorized movies, television series, anime, or variety programs.
• Sharing illegal live-streaming links: Examples include unauthorized live-streaming URLs for sporting events, concerts, paid lectures, or online courses.
• Sharing cracked software or circumvention instructions: Providing pirated software, cracking tools, serial-number generators, or instructions for bypassing licensing mechanisms.
• Sharing pirated e-books or courses: Forwarding illegal download links for paid teaching materials, online courses, e-books, or handouts to group members.
• Providing viewing or download instructions: The risk is higher if the person sharing the link not only posts the URL but also instructs others on how to view, download, crack, or bypass payment.

Recommendations for Intellectual Property Strategy

Businesses, brand operators, community administrators, and content creators should include "link sharing" in copyright risk management rather than managing only the images, videos, or articles themselves.

• Establish group-use rules: Clearly prohibit members from sharing pirated film or television content, illegal live streams, cracked software, unauthorized courses, e-books, or other infringing links.
• Administrators should promptly address infringing links: If a member posts a suspected pirated link, it should be removed as soon as possible, the member should be reminded of the rules, and a record of the response should be retained.
• Educate employees and social media editors: Internal personnel should understand that "only posting a URL" may also create risks. In particular, infringing sources must not be shared through company accounts or official communities.
• Confirm that the source of the content is lawful: Before reposting videos, articles, images, or music, confirm whether the source is an official platform, a lawfully licensed platform, or a public page operated by the rights holder.
• Avoid using gray-area platforms as marketing materials: If company posts, EDM campaigns, or fan pages reference pirated websites, illegal live streams, or unauthorized materials, this may create both legal risks and risks to brand trust.

Case Conclusion

Sharing links in an online group does not necessarily constitute copyright infringement in every case. However, if a person knows that a link points to pirated film or television content, an illegal live stream, an unauthorized course, or other infringing content, yet shares the link with a group comprising unspecified persons or multiple specified persons, the person may face the risk of being considered an accomplice or aider and abettor in the infringement of the right of public transmission.

Ordinary users should not underestimate the legal risks merely because they are "only posting a URL." Businesses and community operators should establish content-sharing rules, community-management procedures, and employee-training systems to avoid unnecessary intellectual property disputes arising from the forwarding of pirated links.

Source: Taiwan Intellectual Property Office｜Do Not Assume That No Download Means No Problem: Legal Risks of Sharing Links to Pirated Film and Television Content in Online Groups
Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China (Taiwan)｜Copyright Act