Pluralistic: “If buying isn’t owning, piracy isn’t stealing” (08 Dec 2023) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net

The ability to change features, prices, and availability of things you’ve already paid for is a powerful temptation to corporations.

  • poopkins@lemmy.worldEnglish
    01·
    2 years ago

    That’s not a fair example, because 5 Euros has an intrinsic value. The theft here is of intellectual property. Here’s an analogy:

    • When you take a book from a book store without paying for it, you are stealing.
    • When you take a book from a book store without paying for it, make an exact replication of it and return the original, you are stealing intellectual property.
    • Rodeo@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      Only if you subsequently distribute it does that “theft” break the law.

      Also money doesn’t actually have intrinsic value. It’s just fancy paper. Things like food and shelter and clothing, and the tools and materials with which to make them, that’s what intrinsic value is.

      • poopkins@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        2 years ago

        Making a copy without the copyright is against the law, no matter which way you slice it. Egregious large-scale infringement is usually prosecuted, whereas it’s otherwise settled civilly. Nevertheless, both constitute copyright infringement.

        Indeed I had the terms confused: it’s incorrect to say fiat currency has intrinsic value; it has instrumental value.

    • psud@aussie.zoneEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      That second dot should be when you make an identical copy of the book without taking it from the shelf. When I get an unlicensed copy of a book, the original is never out of place, not for a moment

      Piracy was huge in Australia back when films were released at staggered times across the world. If it was a winter release in America, it would release six months later in the Australian winter. Try avoiding spoilers online for six months.

      Piracy is less now because things are released everywhere at once and we aren’t harmed by a late release

      Now when companies pull shit like deleting content you think you bought, they encourage people to go around them. Play Station can’t be trusted? Well there are piracy channels that cost only a VPN subscription (and only while you’re collecting media, not after, while watching and storing it) and people will be pushed to those