The (De)Merits of Piracy

[Wahrheit]

[size="5"][b]Topic Literature - Please read before posting![/b][/size]

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/scene-stealer-the-axxo-files-1214699.html
http://torrentfreak.com/more-music-sold-than-ever-before-despite-piracy-110110/

[size="5"][b]Topic of Discussion[/b][/size]

Piracy has been on the rise for essentially... well.. forever. As prices for media continue to increase and demand for more readily accessible material shoots up at exponential rates, it is becoming a standard for the user to decide whether the content is suitable to earn revenue... [i]after they have used it to the degree the manufacturer would charge them.[/i]

The music and movie industries, namely MPAA and RIAA, continue to harp on the "fact" that piracy is a continuing detriment to movie and music sales worldwide. On the other hand, piracy advocate groups argue that it is due to piracy the media is able to make any profit whatsoever. In a society based so wholly on social media and word-of-mouth trust in products, piracy is argued to create a viral impact and spread of content to the point that profits exceed losses, including potential losses from those who do choose to pirate.

The industries want prosecution, and the pirates want better access to creative material. The middle ground will stem from a settlement between greed and liberty of information, if there ever is to exist one.

[i][b]Given that the freedom of information is valued more highly in today's society than ever before, what views do you have regarding the legality, morality, and impacts of piracy on society socially, politically, and economically? What basis do you have for these claims and what would you predict will happen in the future given these circumstances?[/b][/i]

[Icy]

I do not find it to be such an issue as they claim it to be. Because even among the most vicious Torrent communities, they have a code of honor that isn't very hard to find. Whether it's to seed extra long, or buy the object in question later down the line.

In fact, I notice that many "pirates" end up buying the game for real. Same for the DVD's, if nothing then add it to their Netflix Queue. Something... but they do give the money back. And look at movies these days, it's STILL packed during the days its released and coming flying off the shelves. Sure, not on the grandeur scale as you'd THINK but from everything I've observed it's still the same relatively healthy number.

The very same people that will torrent on the scale stating, are the same people that would have never purchased that DVD/VHS/Blu-Ray/CD-ROM/Electronic Hamster in a Cage in the first place. So I find it hard to understand why they'd just "crack down"... For what, a few bucks on the off chance?

[Wahrheit]

The argument that the industry makes, however, holds that a user obtaining the data without compensating beforehand leads to a decline in profits for the company because that user isn't paying for the data and really has no obligation to.

The interesting thing to consider is that most users are more adamant about the freedom of data itself than the price they are willing to pay... if companies were to do a better job at giving users control over the experience that they want to get from the content, they'll be likely to make more money, get more customers, and have tons more viral marketing.

[Dark]

It may seem that I am a bit ignorant to the topic (and trust me, I am (for the most part)), but if companies cannot get off their lazy asses to [b]stop[/b] piracy, they should either lower the prices of their merchandise or deal with the consequences that piracy holds.

IM A PIRATE ARGH ARGH

[Tentacruel]

[quote name='Dark' timestamp='1298234047' post='5021412']
It may seem that I am a bit ignorant to the topic (and trust me, I am (for the most part)), but if companies cannot get off their lazy asses to [b]stop[/b] piracy, they should either lower the prices of their merchandise or deal with the consequences that piracy holds.

IM A PIRATE ARGH ARGH
[/quote]
This man speaks teh tr00fs.


I'll admit, I download crap off torrents. Why? Because I'm not going to shell out a thousand dollars on music.

[Wahrheit]

[quote][i][b]Given that the freedom of information is valued more highly in today's society than ever before, what views do you have regarding the legality, morality, and impacts of piracy on society socially, politically, and economically? What basis do you have for these claims and what would you predict will happen in the future given these circumstances?[/b][/i] [/quote]

I made a serious debate topic guys, not the slishy sloshy stuff it has been.

Please take it seriously.

[Cin]

I remember BBC Panorama found quoted a stat (I can't remember from where), that people who pirate actually spend more on music than those who don't.

Ditto ADHD

[Masochistic Joker]

Funny: FBI searches for and deletes under age pornography off Piratebay but didn't do s*** for all the crap the wikileaks hackers got off of arc.nasa

[Wahrheit]

In the interest of creating a new sanctity for a section once born with a glorious future, I ask that all further replies to this topic be given actual thought directed to the thesis and/or question stated at the top in nice bold italic letters.

This is the second time I've had to ask to keep the topic on-topic, serious, and relevant. It would disappoint me great me to have to do it again.

Something to also consider are the prospects of net neutrality with ISPs shaping the traffic of their users, the COICA bill, and the ICANN domain seizures of various websites.