Hope this is the right place for this question. If someone dowloads something from a website and burns it to DVD or CD can it be traced back to that computer used to create it? What checks can be done to ensure a DVD or CD has no computer identity recorded on it? The question is asked because it is not always possible to easily determine if copyright rules apply to some stuff freely available on the web. Youtube and some free movies, freeTV programmes etc on-line...............................JR

PS I for one would not want to be accused of stealing from anyone!

If the material in question is indeed free, then you have no worries.

That being said, your question(s) seems a bit moot. (Not to mention suspicious.)

I'd be very cautious to the querues you post as threads are monitored for possible copyrite infringement. Such threads are removed and issuing posters can be permanently banned from further use of the D-A-L site.

Thanks for the reply. I will be more specific. There is a French website which offers free downloads of a wide range of TV programmes from America and the UK with dubbed French sound tracks. If I were to download one and give it to a French friend it is not clear under French law if this is a no no or not. Money does not change hands anywhere and the site requires no registration to use it. In view of this uncertainty I would not want the DVD to be traced to my computer in case it was not legal to do this and my question was only to determine if such tracing were possible. I cannot control what said friend would do with the disk though I could suggest he/she does not pass it on but he/she does have teenage kids!...JR

Location France

As long as any posts -here- don't contravene the rules of this site, you are "safe". What you do with regards to other sites is up to you.

"In view of this uncertainty I would not want the DVD to be traced to my computer in case it was not legal to do this and my question was only to determine if such tracing were possible."

I can't advise as to the legalities of other sites/laws. That is up to the sites in "question" and their laws/standards. If it's not "clear under French law" (or any other laws), I would not perform such an action, until it is clear.

What you do with regards to other sites is up to you and I can't advise as to the legalities of other sites/laws

I am sorry if I have not made myself clear. I was not asking or expecting you to give advice on the above. All I want to know is can a DVD or CD created on a computer be traced back to that computer and its owner? Basically a technical question nothing more................JR

PS Your time spent on this matter is appreciated.

This question seems wholly incongruous with more than an hint of surreptitious behaviour unless I am mistaken.

What may be more of a concern to you JR is that your ISP will hold records of your surfing activity should the law require it.

Thank you Wolfeymole. Couldn't have said it better.

Things can always be traced to your machine, even if you think you've deleted them. Computer forensics can't be surpassed, unless the hard disk is physically destroyed. (Shredded or melted. Melting is better.)