Does pirating movies harm those in the industry?

[nutshell]

Like I said, Fluffy, I suspected you were looking for something more complicated. The harm I'm talking about is taking something for free when you are supposed to pay for it. Whether other people have access or not is irrelevant. Also, I said in my hypo that the store has a "endless supply" so the sale was denied. But that's not the point - the point is pirates get something for nothing. The fact that they consume more than they could afford anyway only strengthens my point and demonstrates how serious the problem really is. Pirates are like a parasite, sapping the energy from a host, a little at a time.

 

[Fluffy]

Like I said, Fluffy, I suspected you were looking for something more complicated. The harm I'm talking about is taking something for free when you are supposed to pay for it. Whether other people have access or not is irrelevant. Also, I said in my hypo that the store has a "endless supply" so the sale was denied. But that's not the point - the point is pirates get something for nothing. The fact that they consume more than they could afford anyway only strengthens my point and demonstrates how serious the problem really is. Pirates are like a parasite, sapping the energy from a host, a little at a time.

Fair enough. How specifically does "taking something for free when you are supposed to pay for it" harm those in the industry?

 

[Buttercup]

Fair enough. How specifically does "taking something for free when you are supposed to pay for it" harm those in the industry?

It's a trickle down affect. Sales start to slow (as they have in the music industry) because of pirating and people start losing their jobs.

If you were an artist and painted...would you want people making copies of it and selling it without paying you?

 

[nutshell]

From the RIAA's section on online piracy: RIAA

Also: RIAA

"Across the board, this theft has hurt the music community, with thousands of layoffs, songwriters out of work and new artists having a harder time getting signed and breaking into the business."

Of course, I was talking about movies, but I believe the principles are transferrable.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Well, i dont listen to new guys. I only listen to the big dawgs, the millionaires. The only new artist who i listened to was jason deluro, immposible to buy his single.

 

[Fluffy]

It's a trickle down affect. Sales start to slow (as they have in the music industry) because of pirating and people start losing their jobs.

And I'm saying that if this is true then there is evidence which we should be able to point to. I'm not claiming there is none, I'm asking for some.

If you were an artist and painted...would you want people making copies of it and selling it without paying you?

No. I'd be concerned with people passing it off as their work but that is all. I do intend to write and I do not intend copyright anything I write. However, any hypocrisy on my part doesn't affect whether I'm right or wrong.

From the RIAA's section on online piracy: RIAA

Also: RIAA

"Across the board, this theft has hurt the music community, with thousands of layoffs, songwriters out of work and new artists having a harder time getting signed and breaking into the business."

Of course, I was talking about movies, but I believe the principles are transferrable.

Well the RIAA would say that now wouldn't they? I don't mind reading any studies the RIAA has done but this doesn't constitute evidence.

The RIAA have posted a number of statistics on their site which might be useful. I will have a check through and see if they are sufficiently transparent to be useful.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

They are all too concerned with money. No-one cares for the small fish. I do, by not watching them.

 

[Fluffy]

Heya penguino,
If everybody took your attitude then do you not think that the "big dawgs" would have no money at all?

 

[Don Penguinoini]

No, cause there would still be lots of people who don't like this. If everyone did it, then they would be bamkrupt. Its an impossible scenario.

 

[Fluffy]

No, cause there would still be lots of people who don't like this. If everyone did it, then they would be bamkrupt. Its an impossible scenario.

Okay. So how much money should the "big dawgs" have before it becomes wrong? How much is too much so we know when it is no longer okay to download their music?

 

[Apex]

Once movie stars are making less than I am, Ill consider the industry hurt.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

I dont know! Im 13 for gawds sake! But people still will ALWAYS download their music. They can never run out of money. Its just rolls in...

 

[Reverend Rick]

Downloading is stealing. When I was a kid, I had to save up my allowance for a month to buy an album that had one or two songs I liked.

Everyone does it is no excuse.

 

[Fluffy]

I dont know! Im 13 for gawds sake!

Well there is nothing wrong with that.

I have no idea how GM food works nor of the issues involved. Therefore, I don't make any attempt to form a moral judgement based on my opinion.

You can do so if you like but surely you should recognise it as such?

Downloading is stealing. When I was a kid, I had to save up my allowance for a month to buy an album that had one or two songs I liked.

Everyone does it is no excuse.

Agreed.

But the fact that you didn't isn't exactly compelling either.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Its not morally bad. Think about how much they charge mate, £11 pounds for one person over here. That is, frankly, a joke. I cannot afford that. I dont have a job...

 

[Fluffy]

Its not morally bad. Think about how much they charge mate, £11 pounds for one person over here. That is, frankly, a joke. I cannot afford that. I dont have a job...

At the moment I want a laptop. That is £400 that I don't have. I don't have a job either. Does that mean that I am right to steal one? Computer companies make a lot of money after all.

I think your argument involving the loss of sales is much stronger.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Laptops and films are differnt. It is a recognisable crime to nick a laptop, but you watch a film on the internet? Your just a normal guy. You cant compare em, its like apples and oranges as they say.

 

[Fluffy]

Laptops and films are differnt. It is a recognisable crime to nick a laptop, but you watch a film on the internet? Your just a normal guy. You cant compare em, its like apples and oranges as they say.

Apples are red and oranges are orange. What is the difference between a laptop and a film that should make stealing one a crime and the other not a crime?

 

[Don Penguinoini]

You cant exactly call it stealing. Those cinema people gotta be stupid not realise they have a camera. Also, a lot of bg filmmakers even leak their films on the internet (god knows why) But they do it.

 

[Fluffy]

You cant exactly call it stealing. Those cinema people gotta be stupid not realise they have a camera. Also, a lot of bg filmmakers even leak their films on the internet (god knows why) But they do it

So its okay to steal a laptop as long as the person I'm stealing it from is too stupid to realise?

If they leak a film then that would only legitimise downloading that film, not all films.