Do or don't? Ethical aspects of file sharing

[the_anthropologist]

Hi guys,

I'm an anthropologist from Stockholm, Sweden that are doing a small school project about the ethical aspects of file sharing.

I'm really interested in hearing what your approach are towards file sharing.
Can you articulate if and why you think it's a good thing? How do you approach the ethical aspects of "illegall downloading"? Why and how is file sharing different from IRL-stealing? (see the video below)

Would really appreciate if you could take some time to express you opinion about this.

Cheers!

[ShadyJay]

I just Downloaded that small movie. thanks dude.

[connor17]

This one is better:

[the_anthropologist]

This one is better:

Haha, that one's awesome!

---

I just Downloaded that small movie. thanks dude.

You're welcome! Haha

[tuffgong]

Do or don't?

My guess is you'd be hard pressed to find anyone here that says "don't"

why you think it's a good thing?

I've watched movies and listened to music I never would've spent money on in the first place and then recommended to others. Maybe that generated revenue to the original artist, who knows. O yea and.... free stuff.

How do you approach the ethical aspects of "illegall downloading"?

I don't. I can certainly rationalize all day long as to why though. I've already given this artist a ton of money, I never would've listened/watched it in the first place, etc. In the end, it's stealing revenue from the original artist.

Why and how is file sharing different from IRL-stealing?

Technically when you steal something the original owner doesn't have it anymore. You can then debate that file sharing is not stealing, "I just stole a copy. You still have it." However, the owner does suffer the loss of revenue that you never spent to acquire the material. Just another way of rationalizing it.

The Industry would be better served spending money on developing better relationships with paying customers and selling a better product then trying to defeat piracy.

We are not going away.

edit/

Before "The Apocalypse" happened here on the site a band called BOUND BY LAW posted a thread and asked if someone would upload their album. I reached out to them, they gave me the files and I created two torrents, giving a relatively unknown band's first album away to the world for free. (and getting invited to a party in Sweden to drink all the beer I could) Their hope was that it would spark interest in the music and help build a fan base. Two years later it looks like people are still trying to download the album. Cool idea.

[connor17]

The questions are misleading, there's no such a thing as "illegal download" to begin with (at least in my country).
If a taliban ask you: what do you think about your wife looking like a whore?
Maybe the problem is not your wife (and I'm not saying she's not a whore).
Maybe the problem is the police state you live in.

[the_anthropologist]

Do or don't?

My guess is you'd be hard pressed to find anyone here that says "don't"

why you think it's a good thing?

I've watched movies and listened to music I never would've spent money on in the first place and then recommended to others. Maybe that generated revenue to the original artist, who knows. O yea and.... free stuff.

How do you approach the ethical aspects of "illegall downloading"?

I don't. I can certainly rationalize all day long as to why. I've already given this artist a ton of money, I never would've listened/watched it in the first place, etc. In the end, it's stealing revenue from the original artist.

Why and how is file sharing different from IRL-stealing?

Technically when you steal something the original owner doesn't have it anymore. You can then debate that file sharing is not stealing, "I just stole a copy. You still have it." However, the owner does suffer the loss of revenue that you never spent to acquire the material. Just another way of rationalizing it.

The Industry would be better served spending money on developing better relationships with paying customers and selling a better product then trying to defeat piracy.

We are not going away.

Thanks for sharing your opinion!

I just want to clarify that I'm not against file sharing - just interested in hearing what people that are a bit more hardcore has to say about it.
I agree with your opinion regarding the Industy and its questionable priorities.

But why is it so much easier to distance yourself from rationalizing in an online context compared to "real life"?

[joew771]

I don't understand why they use those examples all the time. "You wouldn't steal a car!". I would. If it was as easy to do and get away with as downloading pirated stuff, I'd have about 1000 cars by now. But then I would need to steal a garage. Which I would.

[the_anthropologist]

I don't understand why they use those examples all the time. "You wouldn't steal a car!". I would. If it was as easy to do and get away with as downloading pirated stuff, I'd have about 1000 cars by now. But then I would need to steal a garage. Which I would.

So you think it's a stupid comparison? Just askin'

[-nelly-]

I just want to clarify that I'm not against file sharing - just interested in hearing what people that are a bit more hardcore has to say about it.
I agree with your opinion regarding the Industy and its questionable priorities.

But why is it so much easier to distance yourself from rationalizing in an online context compared to "real life"?

Personally i don't rationalize it at all. If i can afford it i'll pay for it. As i paid for it it's mine and i should be free to do with it what i want. If i need something. Someone else has it who is of the same mind set to me. They'll share it. If we all want something but it's priced etc. deliberately beyond the ordinary man. Then our resources and knowledge (mind sharing) are pooled to make it available to all.

For me it's that simple