Why prosecuting pirates is useless

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MetalDogGear

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#1 MetalDogGear
Member since 2013 • 825 Posts

The artist doesn't even receive the money most of the time

Part goes to the lawyers and the other to the company. And the people who pirate the property weren't going to purchase

the goods anyway. And so persecuting pirates is a pointless endeavor for the artist.

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VendettaRed07

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#2 VendettaRed07
Member since 2007 • 14012 Posts

Its still stealing.

However, sometimes people get prosecuted like its worse than stealing. Which it isn't. I heard a story of some guy in australlia who pirated a few Wii games got like an insane fine, something upwards of a couple million dollars if I remember correctly. which is ridiculous. They shouldn't be allowed to be punished any harsher than what would happen if they walked into a store and tried to walk out without paying for it.

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IdioticIcarus

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#3 IdioticIcarus
Member since 2012 • 2167 Posts

But they steal.

And take hostages. And occasionally murder.

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BossPerson

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#4 BossPerson
Member since 2011 • 9177 Posts

The artist doesn't even receive the money most of the time

Part goes to the lawyers and the other to the company. And the people who pirate the property weren't going to purchase

the goods anyway. And so persecuting pirates is a pointless endeavor for the artist.

MetalDogGear
well the artist isnt exactly the most important factor in the equation to the owners of the content, now are they?
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Inconsistancy

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#5 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts

Its still stealing.

However, sometimes people get prosecuted like its worse than stealing. Which it isn't. I heard a story of some guy in australlia who pirated a few Wii games got like an insane fine, something upwards of a couple million dollars if I remember correctly. which is ridiculous. They shouldn't be allowed to be punished any harsher than what would happen if they walked into a store and tried to walk out without paying for it.

VendettaRed07

It's pretty different form doing that. If you take from a store, they already own it and need to sell their stock to make money back. When you copy a game illegally, you're just copying it. (copyright infringement, not theft)

It's more like walking into a bookstore, copying the whole book, and putting the original back on the shelf.

I'd say, the maximum punishment should be the value of the copied media; and just streamline the court process, where you can either pay the fine, or challenge it in court.

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MetalDogGear

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#6 MetalDogGear
Member since 2013 • 825 Posts

Its still stealing.

However, sometimes people get prosecuted like its worse than stealing. Which it isn't. I heard a story of some guy in australlia who pirated a few Wii games got like an insane fine, something upwards of a couple million dollars if I remember correctly. which is ridiculous. They shouldn't be allowed to be punished any harsher than what would happen if they walked into a store and tried to walk out without paying for it.

VendettaRed07
Aaron Swartz shows just how jacked up the system is 35 years for distributing property that the company didn't even press charges for 10 years for a child molestor
[QUOTE="MetalDogGear"]

The artist doesn't even receive the money most of the time

Part goes to the lawyers and the other to the company. And the people who pirate the property weren't going to purchase

the goods anyway. And so persecuting pirates is a pointless endeavor for the artist.

BossPerson
well the artist isnt exactly the most important factor in the equation to the owners of the content, now are they?

I mean, the company is the greedy bastard.
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deactivated-59d151f079814

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#7 deactivated-59d151f079814
Member since 2003 • 47239 Posts

Its still stealing.

However, sometimes people get prosecuted like its worse than stealing. Which it isn't. I heard a story of some guy in australlia who pirated a few Wii games got like an insane fine, something upwards of a couple million dollars if I remember correctly. which is ridiculous. They shouldn't be allowed to be punished any harsher than what would happen if they walked into a store and tried to walk out without paying for it.

VendettaRed07

No its copy write infringement and closer to plagerism then in actual theft of physical property.

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MrGeezer

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#8 MrGeezer
Member since 2002 • 59765 Posts
[QUOTE="MetalDogGear"] I mean, the company is the greedy bastard.

I think the "greedy bastard" is the person who's pirating stuff.
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MetalDogGear

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#9 MetalDogGear
Member since 2013 • 825 Posts
[QUOTE="MrGeezer"][QUOTE="MetalDogGear"] I mean, the company is the greedy bastard.

I think the "greedy bastard" is the person who's pirating stuff.

Who's at fault here, The pirate who stole a $1,200 dollar software program (photoshop) Or the company that priced it?
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LJS9502_basic

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#10 LJS9502_basic
Member since 2003 • 180237 Posts
[QUOTE="MrGeezer"][QUOTE="MetalDogGear"] I mean, the company is the greedy bastard.

I think the "greedy bastard" is the person who's pirating stuff.

Correct.....
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LJS9502_basic

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#11 LJS9502_basic
Member since 2003 • 180237 Posts
[QUOTE="MetalDogGear"][QUOTE="MrGeezer"][QUOTE="MetalDogGear"] I mean, the company is the greedy bastard.

I think the "greedy bastard" is the person who's pirating stuff.

Who's at fault here, The pirate who stole a $1,200 dollar software program (photoshop) Or the company that priced it?

The pirate. If you find something to be too expensive...you don't buy it...that doesn't give you the right to take it. Greedy bastard.....
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Legend002

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#12 Legend002
Member since 2007 • 13405 Posts

Pirates are thugs. Thugs on the internet.

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MetalDogGear

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#13 MetalDogGear
Member since 2013 • 825 Posts

Pirates are thugs. Thugs on the internet.

Legend002
I didn't choose the thug life the thug life chose ME
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Sphensen

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#14 Sphensen
Member since 2012 • 1176 Posts

it's a scare tactic to keep some from stealing

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rastotm

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#15 rastotm
Member since 2011 • 1380 Posts

While pirates should be condemned. We have to accept that the market that is experiencing a huge change. Internet has significantly changed the worth of many products. Mainly because a physical form of the product isn't a requirement these days. This has created a huge problem considering that the vast majority of publishers rely on this physical form. In specific, one of the important reasons for a author to hire a publishers is distribution, yet the distribution of digital products has become such a easy feat that publishers are no longer required for distribution purposes. Despite that, many authors remain with publishers for marketing purposes. While this is perfectly acceptable, the reduced costs of distribution should have a effect on the pricing of products that are distributed digitally. The point I'm trying to raise is as follows, piracy is indeed a form of stealing but the pricing of legitimate digitally distributed products is far too high.

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Crunchy_Nuts

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#16 Crunchy_Nuts
Member since 2010 • 2749 Posts
[QUOTE="MetalDogGear"][QUOTE="MrGeezer"][QUOTE="MetalDogGear"] I mean, the company is the greedy bastard.

I think the "greedy bastard" is the person who's pirating stuff.

Who's at fault here, The pirate who stole a $1,200 dollar software program (photoshop) Or the company that priced it?

Did you ever try to consider why Adobe price it that high? If we take photoshop as an example. It was designed as a tool for professionals, and so most of them probably consider it as an investment rather than an inconvenient cost. If you want what photoshop can do there are plenty of FREE alternatives that can do most things that PS can do. I don't agree with prosecuting pirates for different reasons entirely but people who pirate software where an alternative free version which is almost as good can not use the 'it costs too much' excuse.
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Reed_Bowie

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#17 Reed_Bowie
Member since 2011 • 506 Posts
It's not stealing. Stealing implies that the victim no longer has the object stolen from them.
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LJS9502_basic

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#18 LJS9502_basic
Member since 2003 • 180237 Posts
It's not stealing. Stealing implies that the victim no longer has the object stolen from them.Reed_Bowie
Not true...it depends on the legal definition employed. I think some countries classify it as theft....but not all.
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Inconsistancy

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#21 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts

[QUOTE="MetalDogGear"][QUOTE="MrGeezer"] I think the "greedy bastard" is the person who's pirating stuff.Crunchy_Nuts
Who's at fault here, The pirate who stole a $1,200 dollar software program (photoshop) Or the company that priced it?

Did you ever try to consider why Adobe price it that high? If we take photoshop as an example. It was designed as a tool for professionals, and so most of them probably consider it as an investment rather than an inconvenient cost. If you want what photoshop can do there are plenty of FREE alternatives that can do most things that PS can do. I don't agree with prosecuting pirates for different reasons entirely but people who pirate software where an alternative free version which is almost as good can not use the 'it costs too much' excuse.

They could work on a more consumer friendly licensing model, like Epic's UDK being before profiting 50 000$+ you owe 0$. Also could have a bit in there requiring businesses to purchase a license upfront regardless.

Same goes for Maya, Mudbox, 3ds, ect.

Though that would probably cut into upgrade profits... But it could also result in it being even more ubiquitous making them more money in the end.

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cryemocry

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#22 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

pirates are useless

these scumbags ruined pc gaming

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cryemocry

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#23 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

soldier of fortune payback has no cd key or drm bs it has no copy protection on the actual retail game.

This is how all pc games used to be but people f*cking ruined it.

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cryemocry

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#24 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

If you like the goddamn game u pirated F*cking buy it.

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Inconsistancy

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#25 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts

pirates are useless

these scumbags ruined pc gaming

--

soldier of fortune payback has no cd key or drm bs it has no copy protection on the actual retail game.

This is how all pc games used to be but people f*cking ruined it.

--

If you like the goddamn game u pirated F*cking buy it.

cryemocry

Corporations "ruined it", The Witcher1/2 also has a no DRM version, nor do any games on gog.com and I'd assume Cyberpunk 2077 will be the same.

(edit: it is possible to not have to make multiple posts with one, or two, sentences in each.)

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cryemocry

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#26 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts
[QUOTE="cryemocry"]

soldier of fortune payback has no cd key or drm bs it has no copy protection on the actual retail game.

This is how all pc games used to be but people f*cking ruined it.

Inconsistancy
Corporations "ruined it", The Witcher1/2 also has a no DRM version, nor do any games on gog.com and I'd assume Cyberpunk 2077 will be the same.

Bs it has a cd key. soldier of fortune payback is like quake 2 lol has no cd key or securerom bs.
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cryemocry

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#27 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

Someone who really likes a pirated game and plays it all the time and never buy's it is a piece of **** lol

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Inconsistancy

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#28 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts
[QUOTE="Inconsistancy"][QUOTE="cryemocry"]

soldier of fortune payback has no cd key or drm bs it has no copy protection on the actual retail game.

This is how all pc games used to be but people f*cking ruined it.

cryemocry
Corporations "ruined it", The Witcher1/2 also has a no DRM version, nor do any games on gog.com and I'd assume Cyberpunk 2077 will be the same.

Bs it has a cd key. soldier of fortune payback is like quake 2 lol has no cd key or securerom bs.

What's wrong with a CD key? Unless you're pirating something and want to play it on-line, it's a non-issue. It in no way affects gameplay, it's not like AO-DRM.
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alexside1

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#30 alexside1
Member since 2006 • 4412 Posts
Should we abandon copy-write laws than TC?
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cryemocry

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#31 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

payback was a low budget game like 40$ reason they didnt add securerom or cd key.

full priced games used to be like that though quake 2 is a example.

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cryemocry

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#32 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

[QUOTE="cryemocry"][QUOTE="Inconsistancy"] Corporations "ruined it", The Witcher1/2 also has a no DRM version, nor do any games on gog.com and I'd assume Cyberpunk 2077 will be the same.Inconsistancy
Bs it has a cd key. soldier of fortune payback is like quake 2 lol has no cd key or securerom bs.

What's wrong with a CD key? Unless you're pirating something and want to play it on-line, it's a non-issue. It in no way affects gameplay, it's not like AO-DRM.

cd keys suck they were added in quake 3 arena after pirate a$$holes pirated quake 2 lol

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alexside1

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#33 alexside1
Member since 2006 • 4412 Posts
L2 use the edit feature.
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Jacobistheman

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#34 Jacobistheman
Member since 2007 • 3975 Posts

You can justfiy it any way you want, but it is thieft (I do it too).

Piracy hurts the media industry, even if it doesn't hurt artists and producers that much (that make most of the money form concerts and views in a theater). If the companies even make 5% less because of piracy, they are going to not be able to fund as many movies, games, or music: this realy hurts the small "little" guy, like the one that would help with the set on a movie, or a secretary in a recording studio that goes out of business because 5% fewer albums are being produced.

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cryemocry

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#35 cryemocry
Member since 2013 • 590 Posts

cd key makes a game take longer to install because you gotta sit there and type in the goddamn code off a booklet and sometimes you might make a error typing in the code.

f*cking stupid spermheads ruined it all.

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deactivated-5f9e3c6a83e51

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#36 deactivated-5f9e3c6a83e51
Member since 2004 • 57548 Posts

Persecuting thieves in general is pointless. People will still steal and such. I say no laws.

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chessmaster1989

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#37 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts
Do what you want cause a pirate is free, you are a pirate!
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Fightingfan

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#38 Fightingfan
Member since 2010 • 38011 Posts
So is singing a song plagiarism?
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Lotus-Edge

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#39 Lotus-Edge
Member since 2008 • 50513 Posts

But they steal.

And take hostages. And occasionally murder.

IdioticIcarus
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Yusuke420

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#40 Yusuke420
Member since 2012 • 2770 Posts

So is singing a song plagiarism? Fightingfan
No, otheriwse cover bands wouldn't exist...

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LJS9502_basic

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#41 LJS9502_basic
Member since 2003 • 180237 Posts

[QUOTE="Fightingfan"]So is singing a song plagiarism? Yusuke420

No, otheriwse cover bands wouldn't exist...

They have to pay if they play someone else's music and receive payment. Singing for free is okay. Not for pay.
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Fightingfan

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#42 Fightingfan
Member since 2010 • 38011 Posts
What's the difference between a library and a torrent?
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Capitan_Kid

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#43 Capitan_Kid
Member since 2009 • 6700 Posts

They are thieves and deserve the death penalty and or life in prison.

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LJS9502_basic

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#44 LJS9502_basic
Member since 2003 • 180237 Posts

They are thieves and deserve the death penalty and or life in prison.

Capitan_Kid
Bit harsh....
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Capitan_Kid

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#45 Capitan_Kid
Member since 2009 • 6700 Posts
[QUOTE="Capitan_Kid"]

They are thieves and deserve the death penalty and or life in prison.

LJS9502_basic
Bit harsh....

Stealing is a serious crime. If the consequences were higher there'd be less of it.
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Inconsistancy

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#46 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts
[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Capitan_Kid"]

They are thieves and deserve the death penalty and or life in prison.

Capitan_Kid
Bit harsh....

Stealing is a serious crime. If the consequences were higher there'd be less of it.

Copyright infringement isn't theft, and excessive punishments don't really prevent crime so well. People still murder when there's a death penalty.

And that's a violation of the 8th amendment.

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Planeforger

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#47 Planeforger
Member since 2004 • 20147 Posts

I'd say, the maximum punishment should be the value of the copied media; and just streamline the court process, where you can either pay the fine, or challenge it in court.

Inconsistancy

A penalty that low wouldn't be a disincentive to anyone. People already aren't phased by massive penalties, so lowering them would only increase piracy. And surely there has to be some monetary recognition of the pirate's blatant disregard of the rights-holders' rights.

Also, your suggestion wouldn't cover the problems of people seeding downloads to other people in peer-to-peer situations, which is kind of a big deal. There has to be some acknowledgement of the fact that each uploader may be enabling a hundred other people to violate the law.

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Capitan_Kid

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#48 Capitan_Kid
Member since 2009 • 6700 Posts
[QUOTE="Inconsistancy"][QUOTE="Capitan_Kid"][QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] Bit harsh....

Stealing is a serious crime. If the consequences were higher there'd be less of it.

Copyright infringement isn't theft, and excessive punishments don't really prevent crime so well. People still murder when there's a death penalty.

And that's a violation of the 8th amendment.

What's a violation of the 8th amendment?
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Inconsistancy

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#49 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts

[QUOTE="Inconsistancy"]

I'd say, the maximum punishment should be the value of the copied media; and just streamline the court process, where you can either pay the fine, or challenge it in court.

Planeforger

A penalty that low wouldn't be a disincentive to anyone. People already aren't phased by massive penalties, so lowering them would only increase piracy. And surely there has to be some monetary recognition of the pirate's blatant disregard of the rights-holders' rights.

Also, your suggestion wouldn't cover the problems of people seeding downloads to other people in peer-to-peer situations, which is kind of a big deal. There has to be some acknowledgement of the fact that each uploader may be enabling a hundred other people to violate the law.


Who cares if you stop it, if you can just force people to pay for it anyway?

::downloads copyrighted thing off naughty pirate site:: ::gets fined the cost of the product with option to challenge in court::

Unless people band together to challenge the courts, this would work fine. It's clear the enormous fine doesn't prevent piracy anyway. (which is probably a violation of the 8th amendment anyway, for most cases)

And for the uploaders, if they're caught, you charge them for each time they uploaded something. If you catch both, the court punishes both equally and there is a double pay-out. win win.

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Inconsistancy

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#50 Inconsistancy
Member since 2004 • 8094 Posts

[QUOTE="Capitan_Kid"]They are thieves and deserve the death penalty and or life in prison.

Capitan_Kid

What's a violation of the 8th amendment?

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."