Online Piracy
Digital Citizenship Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 2
Below you will find student opinions, statistics and articles to help you start the conversation at home.
In the last issue’s survey, parents were asked if they have had a conversation with their children on the topic of whom piracy hurts. Here are the results of that survey question:
Digital piracy surfaced once again in the news over the holiday break when pirated copies of two blockbuster films could be found on the Internet before their theatrical release. According to reports, more than half a million downloads of “The Revenant,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” were made from pirating websites days before the films were available in movie theaters.
While most students are aware that piracy is illegal, they tend to focus on the consequences they would face if they were caught, rather than on the moral and ethical issues involved. In their 8th grade Media classes, students are taught about the impact of piracy on the economy, on the livelihoods of all those involved in the creative media industries, and on how copyright law is designed to protect the creative process. Here are some of their thoughts on piracy:
“It’s horrible that people are greedy and want to download people's work and not pay them for what they do. It is unethical and terrible.”
“I think piracy is something that can seem like it’s not that bad, or appear to be okay to do. I don't think people who pirate understand the consequences it has on the other people, or the wrongness of the situation.”
“Piracy is wrong because you’re stealing money from your favorite TV shows and songs and movies. So if this happens they might go out of business and not be able to make more things. It’s not really worth it to pirate if it will get canceled because so many people do it. Then your favorite show will be no more.”
“Piracy is not a good thing. People can get away with it because it’s easy, and not difficult to do. I think that if pirating was harder, less people would do it, lessening the amount of piracy.”
“I think piracy is very stupid. People try hard to work on these amazing movies and songs and people rob them of that. It's very, very, very dumb.”
“Piracy is a horrible thing. Although it is pretty easy to get away with you should never do it because it puts people out of jobs.”
“It should NEVER be done and is a horrible, and immoral thing to do.”
“Piracy is wrong. It puts people out of jobs and makes companies lose thousands of dollars.”
Articles on piracy to spark the conversation:
From the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America)
Top 10 Most Common Digital Piracy Myths Busted: Who’s Pirating What And Why?
By Vincent Lanaria, Tech Times, January 5, 2015
Among other myths discussed in this article, apparently, digital pirates do so not because they want to avoid spending money on content, (in fact, they spend more on content that general consumers), but because they want earlier access to media content.
The future of online piracy is easy, free and already in your pocket
By Caitlin Dewey. The Washington Post, April 15, 2015
This article describes a new kind of live streaming piracy.
6 defendants plead guilty in Missouri to $100 million software-piracy scheme
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
“Pirating software, particularly on this massive scale, damages the American economy, hurts private businesses and harms the unsuspecting buyer,” said acting Special Agent in Charge James Gibbons of HSI Chicago.
IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) is the voice of the recording industry worldwide, representing the interests of 1,300 record companies from across the globe. “Digital piracy is the biggest single threat to the development of the licensed music sector and to investment in artists...The industry is responding not with a single strategy, but with a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach. It includes: consumer education on copyright and the value of music; working with law enforcement agencies to tackle online piracy; litigation against online pirate services; and engaging with policymakers and legislators worldwide to create an environment in which the music sector can grow. The industry is also working with online stores to remove infringing apps and to ensure that apps cannot access illegal websites.”
Music and The Internet Guide from the IFPI website.