Since the bloggers on this site are mostly authors who no doubt believe in the concept of copyright (because presumably they’d like to get paid for their work), I thought I’d go through the arguments that get surfaced every time I point out that piracy is a form of petty theft. Here are the arguments, in all their illogical and fanciful glory:
1. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I wouldn’t buy this content anyway.”
This is like saying it’s okay to steal a car and drive somewhere because if you had to rent or by a car you would have stayed home.
2. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I wanted to check it out before buying it.”
The Internet is chockablock with reviews, comments, samples and trailers–all offered legally for free–to help you decide if you want to buy something.
3. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because the copyright owners are charging too much.”
By this logic, you should be able to stay at the Ritz Carleton for $1 if you think that $500 is too much. Pricing is the seller’s decision, not the buyer’s.
4. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because it’s free publicity for the copyright owner.”
Yes, it’s true that unauthorized copies can create buzz. However, whether to offer copies for free is the decision of the copyright holder, not you.
5. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I subsequently buy stuff from the copyright holder.”
This is like saying if you shoplift something today, it’s okay as long as you buy something else from that store tomorrow.
6. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because big media CEOs are paid too much.”
News flash: the CEOs are going to get paid regardless. The person who actually gets financially hurt by piracy is always the content creator. It’s in their contracts.
7. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because it’s so easy to make copies.”
Just because stealing is easy doesn’t make it right. Hey, stealing candy from a baby is easy, too. Just grab it and run.
8. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I bought it and it’s mine.”
Unless you bought the copyright, all that you’ve bought is a single copy of the content. You can sell that copy, but making another copy is stealing.
9. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I shouldn’t have to pay for another copy of something I already own.”
Once again, you do NOT own the content, unless you purchased the copyright. If you want another copy of the content, you must pay for it. If you don’t, you’re stealing.
10. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because it costs nothing to make another copy.”
It may cost YOU nothing, but every unauthorized copy lessens the financial value of the copyright by making it less likely that a paid copy will be purchased.
11. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because it doesn’t hurt anybody.”
Say whut? By making an unauthorized copy, you’re stealing something of value from the copyright holder. You are most definitely hurting somebody.
12. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because DRM is such a hassle.”
Anything that prevents theft is always a hassle. Exploding tags in clothing stores are a hassle. Locks on car doors and houses are a hassle. Your point is…?
13. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because hackers will nullify any DRM scheme.”
DRM schemes combined with vigorous prosecution of site owners who make a profit from posting pirated copies can and does reduce piracy.
14. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because it’s the copyright owner’s fault that it’s not easy enough to buy the content.”
Excuse me? Not easy? Ever heard of Kindle, iBook, Nook, Kobo, etc.???? What you mean by “not easy” (of course) is “costs more than I want to pay.”
15. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because [successful author|musician|media company] has enough money.”
Yes, how DARE they make more money than you make… just because they entertain millions of people and bring additional happiness into their lives. Those a**holes.
16. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because hackers will always be able to make copies anyway.”
Yes, and burglars will always be able to break into some houses regardless of how secure we try to make them. Your point is…?
17. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I can’t find someplace to buy this content.”
Well, maybe whoever owns the content doesn’t want to put it online. Or doesn’t care. Why would that make it okay to steal that content?
18. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because ‘information wants to be free.'”
Information doesn’t “want” anything. The people who use that stupid phrase are actually saying that they’d prefer that high quality information were available free to them. Such people undoubtedly also want free gourmet food, a free mansion and free designer clothes, and so forth. They’re called freeloaders.
19. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because copyright is a bad idea that restrains creativity.”
If you think copyright law is bad, lobby to have it changed. However, don’t be surprised if some people think you’re being mendacious and foolish.
20. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because ebooks should be treated exactly like printed books.”
And why should that be true, exactly? Ebooks are NOT printed books. They’re something quite different. And sometimes, when you receive an ebook, you’re buying a limited license to the content which is different than buying a printed book. If you don’t like that or don’t think the contract is fair, your are free to go read something else. Your frustration does not give you the right to steal.
21. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because everybody does it.”
You and your chums may think piracy is normal behavior, but just because you lack ethics doesn’t mean that everybody else lacks them.
22. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because piracy eventually made the music business bigger.”
This is not at all true. Music piracy clobbered music industry revenues from recordings and destroyed the ability of mid-level musicians (the ones who can’t pull big audiences into concerts) to make a living with their music.
23. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because there’s nothing copyright holders can do except drop prices so low that it can compete with free.”
For all practical purposes, dropping prices may be all that we can do. That doesn’t make piracy okay, though, it just proves that piracy is hurting the copyright holder by forcing them to drop prices.
24. “It’s okay to pirate copyrighted content because I feel entitled to high quality content for free and am willing to steal in order to get it, but I’m a good person, so therefore it must be okay to pirate copyrighted content.”
This, of course, is the REAL translation of the previous 23 reasons.
I’ll end this post with this thought:
Integrity is measured by what you’ll do when nobody is watching and you won’t get caught. Everyone’s integrity has a price. Almost anyone (other than Jesus Christ maybe) would be tempted to steal $1b if there were no risk whatsoever. When you steal content, you’re setting the price of your integrity at few dollars.
And, frankly, that’s pitiful.
As per Steve’s request, if there are any comments to this post, I’ll restrain myself from making observations that might offend somebody’s delicate, shell-like ego.
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