Immorality of Piracy/Jailbreaking

[burbs]

This is not about the legality of piracy, but whether it is immoral to do so. I feel this may be a good debate to have, especially with the recent Optus Fusion data allowance upgrades.

I have mixed views. For example, I see nothing wrong with Jailbreaking devices (neither does the law) yet it is often thought to be an immoral thing to do. I feel that once you have purchased the item, it is yours to do what you want with it, within reason. However, I still have not jailbroken my iPhone, mainly because apps are only $1.19 on average.

Thoughts?


Also if this turns into a religion or OS debate, I will rage.

[burbs]

I gave a jailbreaking point because its easier to explain.

Piracy.
It's illegal, yes. But should it be? That's what I mainly meant by this thread, apologies - I didn't make that clear.

http://beatcrave.com/2009-07-02/digital-music-piracy/

[Mao]

Phone app market is a bit different to big software market. People who develop these are people like myself. The cost really isn't a lot, a couple of dollars per app, it's more an acknowledgement than 'you have to pay me.'.

Same goes for small software companies that sell useful small software (like iTunes-related plugins that are nicely executed).

[/0]

The music industry tells us that piracy is immoral because the artists that produce the music deserve the money from sales. But in most cases, it's the record companies and middle men that make most of the money, with the musicians getting the smaller share.

Musicians have other ways of making money, stuff like concerts and sponsors, and if people really like their music, then they'll feel obliged to pay for it anyway. Radiohead put their most recent album In Rainbows up on the internet with a 'pay what you like' system. It ended up earning more money than their previous album which was sold commercially, due in part, perhaps, to the absence of middle men.

I think that unless freedom of information on the internet is seriously restricted, there will be no way to stop piracy. Moral or not, it's the future.

[Russ]

The music industry tells us that piracy is immoral because the artists that produce the music deserve the money from sales. But in most cases, it's the record companies and middle men that make most of the money, with the musicians getting the smaller share.

As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter. The person/people who make or distribute whatever it is get to set a price and if you don't want to pay it then you don't get to use/listen to it etc.

The people who pirate games don't do it because they want to stimulate live tours etc., they do it because they want free stuff. The Humble Indie Bundle was pirated by ~25% of people despite being pay what you want.

[lexitu]

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/pirate-coelho

[Cianyx]

The music industry tells us that piracy is immoral because the artists that produce the music deserve the money from sales. But in most cases, it's the record companies and middle men that make most of the money, with the musicians getting the smaller share.

As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter. The person/people who make or distribute whatever it is get to set a price and if you don't want to pay it then you don't get to use/listen to it etc.

On this note, what do you think of people who download music but make it up by purchasing merch or going to gigs? I believe this is the way the music industry is heading. People are able to readily acquire material off the internet, and if they like it, they would show support.

Most of the forums I post on are music ones and I never seen bigger fans in my life with their in-depth knowledge about the music and artists. Funnily enough, almost all of them participate in downloading, being musicians themselves, they also strongly advocate piracy.

[Russ]

Obviously everyone has a different set of morals but if you have it as a scale, then downloading music but also attending concerts is more acceptable than just downloading music.

I was at 30 seconds to mars when they toured and their lead singer (jared leto) asked "who has our new album?" and then "who downloaded it illegally?"

So I guess artists are more forgiving of piracy when you're also supporting them as musicians yeah

[Eriny]

In my case, I download things for a number of reasons:
1- I want to try something, and if I like it then I'd consider buying it in stores. For instance, pirating a few songs from an album or a new TV show and then going to the shop to get the entire series on DVD or the whole album on CD.
2- It isn't available in Australia or in a DVD that I can play in my region.
3- Manufacturers clearly overcharge for a certain product. For instance, it's crazy that I'd have to pay $40 for a basic album, but I think it's quite reasonable to pay $10.
4- I can't be bothered trying to find something in a store/ordering it in, etc. when I can just download it really easily.
5- I don't want to pay for something I can get for free.

I don't feel I'm 'stealing' or that I'm morally corrupt or anything like that. If manufacturers made an effort to reach out to people like me, I would make an effort to buy their stuff. It's really the manufacturer's responsibility to do this because they're the ones who potentially lose/profit from my participation or lack thereof.

I've also jailbroken my iphone.

[Russ]

It's really the manufacturer's responsibility to do this because they're the ones who potentially lose/profit from my participation or lack thereof.

I don't see how this makes it their responsibility. Might make good fiscal sense, but that doesn't mean it's their responsibility

[IntoTheNewWorld]

It's really the manufacturer's responsibility to do this because they're the ones who potentially lose/profit from my participation or lack thereof.

I don't see how this makes it their responsibility. Might make good fiscal sense, but that doesn't mean it's their responsibility

Sounds a bit dodgy to me too.

I know I'm a bad person when I download stuff.

[QuantumJG]

Jailbreaking an iPhone isn't illegal because you have a good chance of bricking your phone and you void your warranty.

As for downloading stuff illegally, well it is immoral, but we 'all' do it. As what a lot of people have said, if a person has a lot of respect for an artist then they most likely will buy the CD. The matter is that it's free and convenient.

[m@tty]

It's illegal, yes. But should it be? That's what I mainly meant by this thread, apologies - I didn't make that clear.

Um yeah, of course.


You wouldn't steal a handbag.

You wouldn't steal a car.

You wouldn't steal a DVD.

...

PIRACY IS STEALING!

Cliche, but true nonetheless.

Do you like software/music? If you do you won't support piracy. If everyone steals, then the industry will die - and no more music for you. There's also the fact that you should always provide some return for the people who make an item available to you.

Would you like it if you made some software and everyone pirated it? If everyone discredited your work in making it and simply stole it? No. Of course you wouldn't. So stop doing this to others.



EDIT:

Here I'm assuming you wouldn't steal a DVD. What is the difference between pirating a movie and taking a copy from a shop?

[Eriny]

It's really the manufacturer's responsibility to do this because they're the ones who potentially lose/profit from my participation or lack thereof.

I don't see how this makes it their responsibility. Might make good fiscal sense, but that doesn't mean it's their responsibility

Meh. There are lots of strategies -both creative and commonsense- that could be implemented (corrupting pirated files, the Radiohead thing, setting up online stores, hell even just making prices reasonable and stocking DVDs in region 4.) which work or would probably work. If manufacturers actually engages more with the changing market rather than just file lawsuits, maybe they'd be making more money.

[Ghost!]

It's really the manufacturer's responsibility to do this because they're the ones who potentially lose/profit from my participation or lack thereof.

I don't see how this makes it their responsibility. Might make good fiscal sense, but that doesn't mean it's their responsibility

Meh. There are lots of strategies -both creative and commonsense- that could be implemented (corrupting pirated files, the Radiohead thing, setting up online stores, hell even just making prices reasonable and stocking DVDs in region 4.) which work or would probably work. If manufacturers actually engages more with the changing market rather than just file lawsuits, maybe they'd be making more money.

Really well said.