{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Games Learning Society","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki","author_name":"GLS Team","author_url":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/author\/gls-team\/","title":"Do people get punished for downloading ROMs? - Games Learning Society","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"gKPkp1RZLc\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/do-people-get-punished-for-downloading-roms\/\">Do people get punished for downloading ROMs?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/do-people-get-punished-for-downloading-roms\/embed\/#?secret=gKPkp1RZLc\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Do people get punished for downloading ROMs?&#8221; &#8212; Games Learning Society\" data-secret=\"gKPkp1RZLc\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","description":"Do People Get Punished for Downloading ROMs? Unpacking the Legal Gray Area The short answer is: technically, yes, downloading ROMs can be illegal and potentially punishable, but realistically, the chances of an individual downloader facing prosecution are exceptionally slim. While game companies are fiercely protective of their intellectual property, their focus is almost exclusively on ... Read more","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/gls-featured.png","thumbnail_width":1200,"thumbnail_height":630}