Pirates cost $900mil in Aus

Joseph27 · Post by **Joseph27** » 6th Mar, '11, 11:16

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/the ... 1bisn.html

This article appeared in The Age newspaper online today.... its a totally bullshit figure from industry insiders who simply seem to make up numbers... I am a tad dissappointed in the Age for given that imaginary number any degree of credence though the underlying question is worth looking at further.

Is it wrong to download your favorite TV show, movie, or music? Personally I wont download something I don't own, or wouldnt otherwise pay money for... mmm getting a bit murkey... I pay my monthy starhub package and can watch Dexter season 5 albeit a very edited version or any number of movies. If I now download them, given that I cant buy an unedited version in this country, is that theft?

All content providers say how much they are losing in lost revenue however given the uniquituous nature of the internet, the simplicity of file sharing, and overall acceptance of this behaviour - I think its perhaps time for governments to update copywrite legislation. When 1/4 of the population are actively and willingly engaging in criminal behaviour - its time to change to the law.

Fat Bob · Post by **Fat Bob** » 6th Mar, '11, 13:18

Are you asking what is wrong or right? Or are you asking what is against the law?

And I can't believe you have a stance on importation of goods from abroad which is so protectionist whilst importing TV shows from abroad, and the only reason you do it is because it's free.

If you REALLY wanted to be a little bit whiter (though still grey) you could purchased Dexter series from the US: either wait for the DVDs to come out or find a way via iTunes/other pay-for-TV-internet service. You'd still be doing wrong: Amazon probably do not have a licence to send DVDs abroad, same as iTunes not having the rights to those shows in Singapore.

Thoughts? If you want to be white, only watch what is available from Starhub/mio or at the local cinema.

Joseph27 · Post by **Joseph27** » 7th Mar, '11, 13:37

Nothwithstanding the retail post which still made a valid point though basically the same point made by all other industries that have been rendered obsolete or unworkable by technology.... this is more about what constitutes ethical / legal behaviour and why the industry is so concerned?

baloo · Post by **baloo** » 7th Mar, '11, 14:24

Downloading copyrighted content from someone other than the copyright holder or their partners is illegal.

Buying goods from overseas isn't.

Joseph27 · Post by **Joseph27** » 7th Mar, '11, 14:42

baloo wrote:Downloading copyrighted content from someone other than the copyright holder or their partners is illegal.

Buying goods from overseas isn't.

How about buying content from overseas and ripping from a DVD onto a digital content player? Strictly speaking you arent meant to do it however thats a line a lot of people will happily cross. When do you draw the line? Industry comes up with crazy figures and says it loses tens of billions world wide.... take the case in Indonesia, you could say with a population of 240million coupled with the rampant copying that is done - industry loses billions a year but that presupposes that these people could have and would have paid for it until pirates stole their revenue streams. That's obviously not the case.

Is watching an episode of House season 7 online through a non affiliated channel unethical / illegal / theft?

baloo · Post by **baloo** » 7th Mar, '11, 14:59

Are you sure you're not meant to do it ? I'm pretty sure that recent (even a few years ago) court orders send makning a backup copy, or changing format for your own personal viewing was within the law.

If you watched House Season 7 online without needing to do some little tweeking to make the host that you're not in Singapore is legal. Why wouldn't it be ?

If instead you're playing with proxies to make it think you are in the US then yes, you have deliberately broken copyright.

BoD · Post by **BoD** » 7th Mar, '11, 15:08

If I pay for a DVD, I see no problem ripping it for my own use. Strictly speaking it might well be illegal, but has anyone ever been prosecuted for doing it? I doubt it

I watch loads of downloaded torrent stuff. This is rather more illegal. Some of the content I would buy if I could find an easy online way to do so. Some I would not. So I download the latest version of Top Gear. The BBC won't sell it to me and they won't let me (easily) use iPlayer her. I would wait a year until they decide to start selling/showing it on BBC Knowledge, but I am not going to

Apparently, the BBC are planning to make iPlayer availably outside the UK for a fee. Comments I have read seem to indicated that the cost should be equivalent to the current licence fee, adjusted perhaps to take account of the more limited content. If the fee is not too onerous. I will probably signup. In the meantime I will remain on the grey side of the law

Fat Bob · Post by **Fat Bob** » 7th Mar, '11, 16:14

baloo wrote:Downloading copyrighted content from someone other than the copyright holder or their partners is illegal.

Buying goods from overseas isn't.

Buying goods from overseas might be, or at least, it may be against the trading agreement that Amazon (for instance) has with it's partners. e.g. a DVD sold by Amazon normally has a requirement that it is only sold in the USA or maybe USA and Canada. Amazon selling it to those outside of the US is probably not within the letter of the law or agreement.

The only people that seem worried about that are those in J27's place of protectionism.

And if you tweak your IP address in order to make it appear you are in the States/UK - then yes, that's illegal. Just as if you tweak your billing address in iTunes so you can download stuff from the US website.

Bod - Top Gear Season 15 at Amazon - so slightly less illegal than using torrents

Joseph27 · Post by **Joseph27** » 7th Mar, '11, 17:23

Come on FB that was BOD's way of assuaging the guilt that comes with piratebay.org - personally I prefer glen morangie, one glass and the guilt has gone.

The fact is though that the horse has well and trully bolted - some labels are trying to reshut the barn door regardless of its futility - others are changing their models to cope. I notice the daily show puts their shows up everyday along with back catalogue and extra clips. Thats smart - there is some basic advertising but the main revenue streams are still through TV. A slowly evolving model. Other shows such as House like to release their series on DVD sets though these can still sell albeit in reduced numbers.

As for protectionism - FB - is there anytime protectionism is okay?

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