As with all of intellectual property, unless you are attempting to commercialize your idea, you aren't going to be seriously targeted for using someone's intellectual property.
Yeah, tell that to Thomas-Rasset. Ordered to pay $220,000 for sharing 24 songs on Kazaa.
Many others have had their internet connections cut off or worse.
Come on, sure you can produce historical outliers, meanwhile, the vast majority of every person reading this has stolen far, far, far, far more than 24 songs worth of software and media.
It's absolutely absurd that you would ignore the reality on the ground for hundreds of millions to pretend that the ultra-rare exception is somehow the rule.
Be honest: have you stolen ANYTHING online ever? Have you ever been caught?
Yeah, tell that to Thomas-Rasset. Ordered to pay $220,000 for sharing 24 songs on Kazaa.
Many others have had their internet connections cut off or worse.