Is an app downloading subtitles from OpenSubtitles.org infringing copyright?
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2020 6:32 pm
I'm trying to submit an app to Mac App Store that downloads subtitles for a video you have on your computer in a language of your choosing. It uses OpenSubtitles.org API to download subtitles from their website. Subtitles are matched by a hashcode algorithm provided by OpenSubtitles.
There are two points I was trying to get through with Apple in terms of copyright infringement:
users must already own the rights to videos they're searching the subtitles for. Also, the app cannot be tricked into downloading a subtitle for a video you do not have (using the hashcode means you can't just change the name of the video, it'll still find the subtitles for the original video. Also, no manual input of a video name is allowed).
OpenSubtitles.org have granted me permission to use their API, both as part of registering as a developer and in written form (which was submitted to Apple). Their content is completely community created.
I understand that legally this is a grey area at best, but App Store (both iOS and Mac) have numerous apps that advertise using OpenSubtitles and downloading files there. I was just wondering whether there's anything else I can try and do because obviously I'm not going to get written permission from movie companies.
There are two points I was trying to get through with Apple in terms of copyright infringement:
users must already own the rights to videos they're searching the subtitles for. Also, the app cannot be tricked into downloading a subtitle for a video you do not have (using the hashcode means you can't just change the name of the video, it'll still find the subtitles for the original video. Also, no manual input of a video name is allowed).
OpenSubtitles.org have granted me permission to use their API, both as part of registering as a developer and in written form (which was submitted to Apple). Their content is completely community created.
I understand that legally this is a grey area at best, but App Store (both iOS and Mac) have numerous apps that advertise using OpenSubtitles and downloading files there. I was just wondering whether there's anything else I can try and do because obviously I'm not going to get written permission from movie companies.