Pirated music, mp3s downloaded through P2P networks is grey area for me. (Going to extremes here) Is possession of an illegal reproduction of a copyrighted file just
as illegal as possessing an image of a nude child engaged in a sex act (aka kiddy porn)?
Downloading to make a copy for your personal purposes is an act exempted from copyright infringment, provided the recording is made in your domestic premises. However, the porn argument cannot apply as it is illegal to own or posess such content whatever the circumstances
I know that if I buy a music cd, rip it and then put those ripped files online for everyone to download would be violating copyright law because I don't have that
"right to copy" as mentioned above.
You do have a right to copy for your own personal use only, but not to make available to others. If possession of a copyrighted file (ripped song from cd), but you lost the cd, could that be viewed as a possible pirated song?
Nope, but see above
For me the streaming bit seems like a grey grey grey area simply because there are no physical evidence (e.g. a file). As for DMCA there isn't anything to take down.
A streamed file is being made available to others without the authority of the owner, thus it is subject to the same copyright law
/snip
I do have one question (you won't be able to answer)... If the BBC, itv, Chanel 4, etc really really really don't want people watching the content on their websites from outside
of the UK, then why are they putting them on CDNs which place that content in the US as well as the UK?
As they have the rights to do as they please, then they can do as they wish within the terms of their license. The CDNs concerned are generally within the UK for UK content, but if they are geo restricting distribution, that will satisfy most conditions.