TikTok streaming software is an illegal fork of OBS

Post by kaetemi » Sat, Dec 18, 2021, 2:58 AM UTC

vlovich123 wrote: post #101

kaetemi wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea. Pay someone to write it from scratch. Basically, it's practically (not ethically) fair game to use GPL in commercial software, until someone catches you. The only repercussion that the license provides is that your license is revoked until you resolve the violation (for the first violation). Meanwhile, you got to release your product, and by the time you got caught you've had enough time to implement it yourself…

That’s not the only repercussion. They can sue for copyright infringement and there can be large fines.

Post by gjs278 » Sat, Dec 18, 2021, 3:06 AM UTC

ghusbands wrote: post #9

People are misunderstanding this and claiming it's not problematic. Ben Torrell (an OBS developer) notes later in the thread that there is indeed GPL code compiled into TikTok's executables; since source is not available and they have not got another license, it is unlicensed and hence illegal.

Post by mannerheim » Sat, Dec 18, 2021, 3:29 AM UTC

lmm wrote: post #400

Buttons840 wrote: post #311

Could GPL include a clause such that, when abused like this, the code of the offending app would become GPL code as well? Imagine people start "stealing" TikTok code, TikToc sues, and now the defendant has their day in court to defend the GPL, at TikToks expense.

Remember that what you're legally entitled to is statutory damages ($50k per act of infringement or $150k for wilful infringement) plus whatever actual damages you can prove (probably 0 for a hobbyist). You can negotiate whatever alternative settlement you like, which might mean e.g. regular audits of their code at their expense (the BSA does this kind of thing for a lot of commercial software). But they always have…

Post by trickstra » Sat, Dec 18, 2021, 3:50 AM UTC

kayodelycaon wrote: post #269

trickstra wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And now they can also claim it was just autocompleted by Copilot.

Using a tool to violate copyright isn't a valid legal defense.

Post by Flankk » Sat, Dec 18, 2021, 4:02 AM UTC

nick__m wrote: post #245

Vinnl wrote: post #205

I think it's useful for developers to have a rough mental model of how open source licensing works, as it's not that complicated yet affects what you can legally do, both as a user of open source software as well as as a contributor. Coincidentally I recently did a Twitter thread on it, in case anyone's interested. I know not everyone like the medium, but at least it's also posted on Mastodon, so there's that: https:…

There is less correct but funnier comparison. It's a cartoon comparing the various licences as if they were a dad: http://www.wtfpl.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wtfpl-strip.... TikTok probably tought that OBS was licensed under the WTFPL ;)