Is Piracy Wrong?
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ChocolateLover030
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Techinically, it is. But that's not gonna stop from stealin' yer gold! 
BernKatstel
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Yes
SternenklarenRitter
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Piracy is legally wrong. It is also evil to the extent that the creator, (not the publisher, because Hobbes is wrong and corporations are not people), is harmed. Donate a euro to the artist/author at it will be morally neutral. Just remember that adherents of true chaos die first.
LORD_SHAXX
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It depends what's being pirated. Movies and anime? Nah. After the recent funimation and PlayStation discovery incident where paid for content was removed because the company didn't want to pay for it anymore. I would say piracy is okay. Because if you can buy something with money and still lose it of no fault of your own you might as well steal it.
Games? Again depends in some countries where you may have to work for months to save to buy a game. Piracy may be a good work around for that. Additionally I know people who pirate games too see if they are worth buying. I did the same for starfield (thank god) and dodged a massive (boring) bullet. With how most AAA games come out broken and busted I can see this becoming a norm soon. You can also pirate in protest ubisoft are saying that buying something doesn't make you the owner. If that's the case then piracy doesn't make me a thief.
And finally books/ other creative things. Yeah I would say it makes you are a scumbag. Especially if you try to re release as your own work.
Games? Again depends in some countries where you may have to work for months to save to buy a game. Piracy may be a good work around for that. Additionally I know people who pirate games too see if they are worth buying. I did the same for starfield (thank god) and dodged a massive (boring) bullet. With how most AAA games come out broken and busted I can see this becoming a norm soon. You can also pirate in protest ubisoft are saying that buying something doesn't make you the owner. If that's the case then piracy doesn't make me a thief.
And finally books/ other creative things. Yeah I would say it makes you are a scumbag. Especially if you try to re release as your own work.
Toast2Venus
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If you aren't caught and if there's anyone left who still cares about it, most forms of media isn't accessible to all parts of the world mostly third world countries so yeah those illegal (pirate) sites help others get by a lot, and there's the currency issue, some media may be cheap for you but it'll cost a pretty penny elsewhere...of course this doesn't justify anything it's still wrong but hey the ones it hurts makes more millions everyday so who gives a duck, maybe you.
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J_Chemist
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Yesn't.
If you can buy the game and support your developer, you should buy it. Especially indie devs, solo devs, or those who make something for fun and have a passion.
If it's sold by a big conglomerate that honestly is just trying to prey on your wallet, then sure. Pirate away because while you might be hurting their profits and potentially leading to them downsizing, you do it for more of a reason than also wanting the product-- You do it because it's bullshit. The subscription model, the paywall, the way they operate, etc. It's a form of protest/boycott and while illegal, you have a reason to justify it.
If it cannot be purchased or acquired by any other means, then it's not really pirating. Pirating is just the only method you have to get the product, like super old video games that are no longer distributed in any fashion but someone finds a way to upload it.
In general and by all means, it's still theft in some fashion because you acquire the item without paying but there's different levels of "morality" involved that help get over that fact.
If you can buy the game and support your developer, you should buy it. Especially indie devs, solo devs, or those who make something for fun and have a passion.
If it's sold by a big conglomerate that honestly is just trying to prey on your wallet, then sure. Pirate away because while you might be hurting their profits and potentially leading to them downsizing, you do it for more of a reason than also wanting the product-- You do it because it's bullshit. The subscription model, the paywall, the way they operate, etc. It's a form of protest/boycott and while illegal, you have a reason to justify it.
If it cannot be purchased or acquired by any other means, then it's not really pirating. Pirating is just the only method you have to get the product, like super old video games that are no longer distributed in any fashion but someone finds a way to upload it.
In general and by all means, it's still theft in some fashion because you acquire the item without paying but there's different levels of "morality" involved that help get over that fact.
NotaNuffian
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Yes. Because it is stealing, no matter how much you want to spin it.
Corpo being money grubbing so I shall pirate? Still stealing, even if your target is "supposedly" the bad guy. The next thing you can do is either stage a riot in front of their building or killing the entire executive board in a suicide bombing.
Corpo being money grubbing so I shall pirate? Still stealing, even if your target is "supposedly" the bad guy. The next thing you can do is either stage a riot in front of their building or killing the entire executive board in a suicide bombing.
TotallyHuman
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No. I would write an essay here but I'm kind of sleepy rn.
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Yes, no matter what the reason is, no one NEEEDS to be a pirate.
You don't NEED to steal that boat, just be boatless.
Just accept who you are.
You hijacked a boat, you attacked the crew to take their stuff, you wanted that stuff and you don't "need" that stuff and you took it cause you wanted it. You don't need to do that because there are other ways to make a living but you choose to be a pirate.
Because you wanted free stuff.
Live your life, be a pirate if you want, but don't rationalise it like you're not a murderous piece of shit out to take other people's stuff.
You don't NEED to steal that boat, just be boatless.
Just accept who you are.
You hijacked a boat, you attacked the crew to take their stuff, you wanted that stuff and you don't "need" that stuff and you took it cause you wanted it. You don't need to do that because there are other ways to make a living but you choose to be a pirate.
Because you wanted free stuff.
Live your life, be a pirate if you want, but don't rationalise it like you're not a murderous piece of shit out to take other people's stuff.
ArcadiaBlade
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I think piracy is the main reason why most of us are here. If I didn't pirate games, I would never discover anime. Hell, the reason why I even discover anime is from japan is because of piracy. I won't even deny when I first thought of anime, my head quickly went straight to chinese cartoons before knowing anime is from japan.
I don't deny that pirating is wrong but it was mainly because not everyone was born with a silver spoon. I would watch shows from my neighborhood or barbie cartoons because of my sister and didn't have much hobby other than stalkin-I mean observing 'Nature'.
Piracy is what created the culture and become fans of characters we like. While it is illegal, it shows that piracy can also brought the studios more money than any advertisements they could ever made because if someone pirates your game, it means its worth paying to buy one.
So, piracy is indeed wrong, morally, we can sometimes sees that it also has benefits.
I don't deny that pirating is wrong but it was mainly because not everyone was born with a silver spoon. I would watch shows from my neighborhood or barbie cartoons because of my sister and didn't have much hobby other than stalkin-I mean observing 'Nature'.
Piracy is what created the culture and become fans of characters we like. While it is illegal, it shows that piracy can also brought the studios more money than any advertisements they could ever made because if someone pirates your game, it means its worth paying to buy one.
So, piracy is indeed wrong, morally, we can sometimes sees that it also has benefits.
Toast2Venus
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"Damn scallywags got away with our treasure again, damn it all, now the King shall have our heads on the block"Yes, no matter what the reason is, no one NEEEDS to be a pirate.
You don't NEED to steal that boat, just be boatless.
Just accept who you are.
You hijacked a boat, you attacked the crew to take their stuff, you wanted that stuff and you don't "need" that stuff and you took it cause you wanted it. You don't need to do that because there are other ways to make a living but you choose to be a pirate.
Because you wanted free stuff.
Live your life, be a pirate if you want, but don't rationalise it like you're not a murderous piece of shit out to take other people's stuff.
-- said Europeans after "borrowing" the treasure from another third world country.
Daitengu
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That's a loaded question. It's like asking if offing your self is wrong.
Legally yes in most all countries. Morally is an entire different question however.
To me digital piracy is all down to accessibility. Many things you just can't access anymore are up for grabs imo. Doing it just because you can is something I'm against however.
Literal piracy tho, I can see why it's done. Though I can disapprove, it means nothing without an alternative.
Legally yes in most all countries. Morally is an entire different question however.
To me digital piracy is all down to accessibility. Many things you just can't access anymore are up for grabs imo. Doing it just because you can is something I'm against however.
Literal piracy tho, I can see why it's done. Though I can disapprove, it means nothing without an alternative.
3kockeleda
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Reminder it's always morally correct to pirate from large companies. Pirating small company software or small authors works is never ethically correct
prognastat
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Do what you want 'cause a pirate is free...
It's a legal crime. There was no such thing as copyright infringement until we created copyright. Throughout most of history until 1790 we didn't recognise such a thing as a crime.
Personally as far as how I feel about it morally I'm mixed on it. I agree copyright is good in that it's probably good for artists to be able to make money off their creation without everyone immediately copying them and making money from their work. However I also feel copyright has gotten ridiculous with the often 100+ years many works have in protection now. Just like I feel there is value in giving creators time to make money off their creation I also see value in allowing that same creativity to flow into wider culture for others to iterate on and in the balance between those things I feel we have shifted way too far to protecting the copyright at this time. When copyright was originally instated it only lasted 14 years. Now I would say that seems a little on the short end, but 20-30 years seems like a perfectly reasonable amount of time for a creator to profit off their work. Although with how ridiculous it has gotten I would already be happy if it was just decreased to something like 50 years.
There is also the question of accessibility. If the creator doesn't distribute the content in the country you reside in or due to currency exchange rates it is prohibitively expensive to the point where it isn't viable I don't think it's morally wrong to pirate something you weren't going to be able to get anyway when it also doesn't directly harm the copyright. Like if some kid from a low income family that's never actually going to be able to afford it pirates something I created I don't really think they did something morally wrong. Meanwhile if I find out a millionaire with all the money in the world to spend on whatever they feel like did the same I'm going to feel they did.
Also unlike what some say no piracy is not theft. Theft requires the original copy to be deprived of the person you are stealing from. If I see your pretty carved statue and carve one exactly like it or get one for free from someone else giving away free copies that are exactly like your statue that's not theft. It's copyright infringement which is a different crime.
It's a legal crime. There was no such thing as copyright infringement until we created copyright. Throughout most of history until 1790 we didn't recognise such a thing as a crime.
Personally as far as how I feel about it morally I'm mixed on it. I agree copyright is good in that it's probably good for artists to be able to make money off their creation without everyone immediately copying them and making money from their work. However I also feel copyright has gotten ridiculous with the often 100+ years many works have in protection now. Just like I feel there is value in giving creators time to make money off their creation I also see value in allowing that same creativity to flow into wider culture for others to iterate on and in the balance between those things I feel we have shifted way too far to protecting the copyright at this time. When copyright was originally instated it only lasted 14 years. Now I would say that seems a little on the short end, but 20-30 years seems like a perfectly reasonable amount of time for a creator to profit off their work. Although with how ridiculous it has gotten I would already be happy if it was just decreased to something like 50 years.
There is also the question of accessibility. If the creator doesn't distribute the content in the country you reside in or due to currency exchange rates it is prohibitively expensive to the point where it isn't viable I don't think it's morally wrong to pirate something you weren't going to be able to get anyway when it also doesn't directly harm the copyright. Like if some kid from a low income family that's never actually going to be able to afford it pirates something I created I don't really think they did something morally wrong. Meanwhile if I find out a millionaire with all the money in the world to spend on whatever they feel like did the same I'm going to feel they did.
Also unlike what some say no piracy is not theft. Theft requires the original copy to be deprived of the person you are stealing from. If I see your pretty carved statue and carve one exactly like it or get one for free from someone else giving away free copies that are exactly like your statue that's not theft. It's copyright infringement which is a different crime.
laccoff_mawning
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Indeed! Personally, I think its better to view piracy as a form of forgery rather than theft.