Is it illegal to download free ringtones online?

[CelticRose]

I understand that it is illegal to download free full length songs off the internet. However, everyone tells me that it is okay to download ringtones since they aren't full length songs. Is this true? If it is Illegal, is just as punishable as illegally downloading full songs?

Can anyone with professional legal knowledge answer this? If you don't have the legal knowledge, then could you post a link to the information?

Also, if it is legal to download free ringtones, what is the maximum length they can be?

Any and all details you can provide about this would be great!
Thanks =)

 

[Stuart]

You can download all the ring tones you want to. It is not illegal.

What is illegal is downloading full length songs that have a copyright without paying for them.

- Stuart