The term “bootleg” originated in the American West in the 1800s, referring to the smuggling of alcohol. It has since expanded to include any illicit or illegal item, such as counterfeit goods or copyrighted materials. Smuggling is illegal and can be dangerous, and those involved can be prosecuted. However, some artists have leaked bootlegs for fans, and some bootlegs have historical value.
The word “bootleg” is a slang term that originated in the colorful English of the American West. Refers to an illegal or clandestine activity. The term is usually used to refer to items that are transported, manufactured or used for illegal purposes, ranging from bootleg alcohol that is secretly sold to avoid high taxes, to a spoof radio station that illegally broadcasts using equipment that has been together by the operators.
People started using this word in the 1800s, with the first recorded use dating back to 1889. The term was a reference to hiding a flask of alcohol inside a boot; people smuggled alcohol to transport it for illegal sale and consumption. While the word initially referred specifically to alcohol, its meaning slowly expanded to include any type of illicit, illegal, or clandestinely traded item, from a counterfeit cassette tape of a live music performance to a counterfeit video game.
As a general rule, smuggling is illegal. The smuggled item may itself be illegal, such as in the case of smuggled controlled substances, or the smuggling process may make it illegal. For example, copies of games, music, books, and other copyrighted materials aren’t legal because bootlegging infringes copyright. Similarly, smuggled items such as alcohol and cigarettes are usually traded illicitly to avoid paying taxes, which is a violation of the law.
Smuggling is a major concern for some governments and agencies that protect and enforce copyright. When bootleg copies of commercially produced items exist, the bootlegs can reduce sales and consumers can potentially be exposed to dangerous bootlegs, such as an audio CD that includes a computer virus that will load onto any computer that plays the CD, or contraband that has been prepared under dangerous conditions that could make people ill. Manufacturers and sellers of counterfeit products can be prosecuted under a variety of laws, depending on the nature of their offence.
The tradition of making counterfeit copies of concerts and albums released by musical artists is quite ancient, dating back to the time when the cassette tape was introduced and consumers had an easy way to make recordings and distribute copies. While such bootlegs aren’t technically legal, some artists have leaked “bootlegs” of extra sessions, bonus features, and other materials for loyal fans, and sometimes a bootleg has surfaced with the only known copy of a particular song or event , making it quite valuable from a historical perspective.
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