{"id":376429,"date":"2021-12-04T17:00:22","date_gmt":"2021-12-04T14:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-12-04T17:00:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-04T14:00:22","slug":"is-plex-legal-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Is Plex Legal? \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a26ea0e13ee8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a26ea0e13ee8\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/#One_Plex_Two_Primary_Functions\" >One Plex, Two Primary Functions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/#Client-Side_Media_Server\" >Client-Side Media Server<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/#Server-Side_Streaming_Service\" >Server-Side Streaming Service<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/#How_Does_It_Work\" >How Does It Work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/#So_Is_It_Ever_Illegal\" >So Is It Ever Illegal?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/is-plex-legal-review-geek\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Is Plex Legal? \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-104282 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/11\/83ca905c.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/11\/83ca905c.jpg?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/11\/83ca905c.jpg?width=1200\" alt=\"The Plex logo over a series of movie posters\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Plex\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Plex<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Plex is arguably the best streaming platform out there today if you want to curate your own client-side <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> library or access an extensive library of streaming content. Between these two broad feature sets, you might be wondering: is Plex legal?<\/p>\n<p>The important thing to know is that Plex is indeed a legitimate company and has been legal in every country it has operated in since its inception as a bit of freeware back in 2007.\u00a0However, as with any versatile tool, Plex can be used in a way that its developers did not intend because it empowers the user more than big streaming platforms like Netflix or <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le TV.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"One_Plex_Two_Primary_Functions\"><\/span>One Plex, Two Primary Functions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to Plex, you can think of it as a company with two primary services. They almost serve as opposite sides of the same coin, with one focused on the content you own and the other bringing you content you don\u2019t necessarily own for free.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-104283 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/11\/c8b9c2e2.jpg\" alt=\"A group of devices each displaying the Plex app\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Plex\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Plex<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Client-Side_Media_Server\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_1\">Client-Side Media Server<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Plex essentially has two suites: its original functionality is to locally host your <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/70552\/everything-you-need-to-set-up-a-plex-server\/\">private media library, acting as a client-side server for all of your movies, music, and other multimedia. If you were a media nerd in the early 2000s, there\u2019s a good chance you kept an external hard drive loaded up with music and video files, often ripped from DVDs and CDs you\u2019d purchased. Some would even fill their external hard-drive coffers with extralegally obtained media if you can believe it. Having an extensive library of content was a desirable trait before we all had access to massive online media libraries.<\/p>\n<p>Streaming services eventually replaced that functionality for a lot of people. But many still prefer to curate their collection of titles that will never be rotated out (as they are on streaming services) and aren\u2019t hampered by compression or buffering speeds. If you\u2019d rather stream your curated content from a PC in your house to your TV, the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/www.plex.tv\/your-media\/\">Plex Media Server<\/a> is for you.<\/p>\n<p>This side of Plex is technically legal, albeit with some caveats, but we\u2019ll get to that in a moment.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Server-Side_Streaming_Service\"><\/span>Server-Side Streaming Service<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/29315\/plex-just-launched-a-free-video-streaming-service-in-200-countries\/\">other side of Plex is comparable to other modern streaming services, like Hulu: the platform <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/www.plex.tv\/watch-free\/\">hosts an imposing library of content<\/a> that you can stream from the company\u2019s servers. At first glance, this seems too good to be true: there\u2019s quite a bit of content offered entirely for free, including live TV, and some of it is concurrently available on competing subscription-based streaming platforms.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d be forgiven for wondering how Plex could be streaming content alongside competitors, and often for free. This part is 100 percent legal, so have at it.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_It_Work\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_3\">How Does It Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-41462 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2020\/04\/b88e09b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/www.plex.tv\/\" data-credittext=\"Plex\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/www.plex.tv\/\">Plex<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>So, where does all that server-side streaming content come from? The same place it always comes from: mutually profitable licensing agreements between the folks running the platform and the people selling the content.\u00a0 And it\u2019s free to you because there are ads (though, you can opt for the premium version if you\u2019d like extra features, and that\u2019ll make it\u00a0<em>less<\/em> free).<\/p>\n<p>So, fear not: even as you vegetate on the couch while watching free content, money is indeed exchanging hands.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_Is_It_Ever_Illegal\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_4\">So Is It Ever Illegal?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-104284 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/11\/e816b825.jpg\" alt=\"A Plex list of movies with digitized spiders crawling over the screen\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-vector\/low-poly-spider-hacker-attack-danger-1158365755\" data-credittext=\"LuckyStep \/ Shutterstock.com\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-vector\/low-poly-spider-hacker-attack-danger-1158365755\">LuckyStep \/ Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/102893\/https:\/\/support.plex.tv\/articles\/is-plex-illegal\/#:~:text=Through%20its%20evolution%2C%20Plex%20has,leading%20global%20media%20streaming%20service.\">Plex itself is never illegal<\/a> \u2014 if it were, it wouldn\u2019t be a trusted partner with its content providers. You, however, are very capable of illegality, and you have sentience and agency. Thus, when the powers of Plex are combined with your capacity for malfeasance, Plex can become an unwitting accomplice.<\/p>\n<p>Or, if you prefer a literal piracy analogy: Think of Plex as a wooden ship. The ship itself is up to code and isn\u2019t capable of breaking any laws on its own. If the navy uses that ship, it\u2019s working as intended \u2014 nice and legal. But if said ship is instead used for piracy? Well, that\u2019s illegal, but it\u2019s not the ship\u2019s fault, is it? The ship does what the captain tells it to do.<\/p>\n<p>Plex is perfectly legal whenever you\u2019re streaming from their server or whenever you upload personal media that was acquired and reproduced legally. On the other hand, the user can put illegally obtained content on their personal media server. It\u2019s not a peer-to-peer media sharing platform, so the impact is relatively low-profile even when the content is pirated.<\/p>\n<p>An even grayer area is ripping content from Blu-ray or other physical media that you actually purchased but are \u201cmisusing\u201d according to that media\u2019s legal language. Most people never read the relevant disclaimers, and the language can vary (and sometimes seem contradictory). At the end of the day, it\u2019s up to you how guilty you feel ripping a Blu-ray that you bought so that you can stream it locally to your TV. If you can live with a version of yourself that doesn\u2019t strictly follow extraneous instructions from people who already got your money, it\u2019s unlikely you\u2019ll raise anyone else\u2019s eyebrows. And it\u2019s unclear just how legal and enforceable some of these disclaimers are.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_5\">The Bottom Line<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The legality of Plex is in the details of the licensing agreements. You can feel safely assured that the license agreements handled on Plex\u2019s end are all kosher. Where you\u00a0<em>may<\/em> run into potential legal issues is the license agreements that\u00a0<em>you<\/em> agree to. Because you probably don\u2019t have a personal legal team to read your Blu-ray jewel cases for you, that\u2019s obviously where most of the risk lies.<\/p>\n<p>That said, the disclaimers you may run afoul of are often of dubious legal value (particularly when it comes to how you use the physical media that\u00a0<em>you<\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em>paid for). The client-side-only nature of Plex\u2019s personal media server functionality means you can\u2019t easily use Plex to share illegally obtained or copied media to untold masses. So, Plex is a ship that\u00a0<em>could\u00a0<\/em>be used for piracy, but it really doesn\u2019t want you to.\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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Between these two broad feature sets, you might be wondering: is Plex legal? 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