How Frequently are People Sued for Piracy?

I was thinking about piracy and one of the main questions I had was how often are people sued for pirating? Is this something people should actually fear? I think it is. I personally don't know anyone that has been sued for pirating but from what I have read this might change soon. I have not exactly found a definite answer to the frequency of pirating suits but, it does seem as though people are tired of their work being stolen and they are starting to fight back. One way they are starting to do this is through the new "Six Strike" program I discussed in my last post. As I stated before I don't think this program will have much impact, as it is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. The threat of a lawsuit however, I think will have a much greater effect. If people don't want to pay the original price for a product I can't imagine they would want to pay thousands more than what it is actually worth because they illegally downloaded. Well this is what

Add http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Microsoft-Sues-Australian-Radio-Stations-for-Pirating-Windows-2.jpg

 is happening. A growing number of "Copyright Trolls" are searching file sharing sites for illegal sharing of copyrighted material. These copyright trolls then work with the owner of the material to go after the alleged offenders. So far, thousands of people have been sued and as the number of businesses monitoring sites for illegal file sharing continues to grow so will the number of people being sued. I know I don't want to pay thousands of dollars for a song. If you don't want to pay that much either you should probably think twice next time you are about to illegally download something. There could be a troll waiting to catch you.


Sources:
http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/helpmehoward/mi95730/
http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/helpmehoward/mi95730
http://phys.org/news/2012-07-bittorrent-popularity-mass-copyright-litigation.html

Anti-Piracy Program: "Six Strikes"

http://www.vgchartz.com/article/84200/analyzing-piracy-the-industrys-scapegoat/

 As of last month, if you are someone that uses peer-to-peer networks for illegal downloading, you could find yourself being reprimanded by your ISP. From what I have read the entertainment industry has partnered with some of the biggest ISPs  to stop illegal downloading through a new anti-piracy system called  "Six Strikes". Basically the people that create the content monitor peer-to-peer networks for any illegal downloading of their material. Those that are identified as offenders are reported their particular ISPs. If the ISP determines that a violation did occur the offender could receive what is called a "strike". Each strike results in  the ISP issuing a reprimand ranging from a warning or piracy education to service interruption. What the reprimand actually will be depends on which ISP the offender uses as well as the number of strikes that person already has.

After reading more about this new anti-piracy system I don't feel as though it's that big of a deal. Not only is it not a law, but the consequences the offenders receive are not that harsh. Not to mention not everyone uses an ISP that is part of the entertainment industry/ISP partnership. I personally don't illegally download things from the internet, but if I did this new system would not be a deterrent. I don't even think the educational aspect of it will have a significant impact. Most people that illegally download stuff already know that it is wrong and that they are stealing. Is educating these same people on piracy really going to make that big of an impact? I don't believe so. Especially when there are many easily accessible ways around the system.





sources:
http://bgr.com/2013/02/28/six-strikes-anti-piracy-system-isps-348766/
http://mashable.com/2013/02/27/isps-six-strikes/


                       

The ethics of piracy: Textbook

 As a student, I spent a lot of money on Textbook everything semester, a book cost me about $200 dollars.I was looking for a cheaper way to cut off my spend on textbook. Then I find out that different store has different price, the school bookstore which is more expensive than off-campus bookstore in my second semester.  Somehow, I can get used book online with half price of bookstore where likes Amazon, Ebay. That is very excited when you got a book only half price than others. But in a lot of situation, textbook online are very expensive too. So there is other way: rent textbook. I usually rent book through www.chegg.com, you pay the rent fee for textbook during the time period,usually a semester, you need to return the book before the date due, otherwise, you need to pay extra fee. There is one more way to rent textbook which is e-book, you can view the textbook online which you paid. You log on your account and only can review the e-book online, you can not do copy and paste. It's cheaper than rent textbook, but you need to have internet service.

 I did several ways above for saving textbook money until I get free e-book from my friend. She bought Finance text e-book copy from online which cost her $20 dollar. That is a huge saving! The hard copy will cost $200 dollar! She was doubt the seller about the book, after she got the PDF file from seller, she sent it to me. I was very excited about the saving! I have no idea it would be illegal! Because the seller is selling. But from the ethics side, I was thinking about the piracy problem. As I know, it should not be right!!

 To talk about ethic is not a easy task. Do I need to buy a book by myself or get the free e-book from others? Be honestly, I will definitly pay for testbook if it costs me $20 dollars, but if it will costs me $200 dollars, that a lot to me! I would get the free file from my friend. I believe that if one day $200 is a piece of cake, I will make the right decision again. But who else will not? Is it a question of the ethics of piracy?


by wenyi

Are Pirates Helping The Music Industry?

   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/music-pirates-study_n_2526417.html

      

                      

     Since the beginning of the creation of Peer-To-Peer file sharing, the world has been told time and time again that music pirates are the reason the music industry is losing business. Music pirates are known for the lose of billions of dollars in the music industry and the government is doing their best to stop them. Though the technological generation is taught to believe this fact, a recent study from Columbia University may have found information that challenges these accusations of music pirates.

     Studies show that people that contribute and are involved in peer-to-peer file sharing are also estimated to buy up to 30% more music than those that are not involved in the act. Studies also show that they are much more likely to go out and but a CD at a local store and keep the physical aspect of music alive. When first hearing this I instantly didn't believe that music pirates could be helping the music industry in any sort of way, but then a realized they may be on to something more than I thought.

     Those that contribute to music piracy all have one thing in common, they have a passion for music. In many cases the reason why people illegally download music is not because they want to rebel and purposefully lose money for the music industry, but because they simply can't afford to buy the music they love due to ever rising prices. Studies show that those that contribute to music piracy are also much more likely to have the want to but music if the money was available for them to buy it. 

     Though it is true that people involved in peer-to-peer file sharing have a passion for music and are much more willing to own the music than those that do not illegally download music, the music industry still feels that music pirates are the reason for the major profit lose. They believe that if music piracy wasn't around in the first place, then those that wanted the music enough, would have just found a way to pay for it anyway. 

     Though both sides have very valid points, the argument of music piracy may never truly be solved. It is an ever going battle between the talented people that created the music, and the passionate people that just simply want to listen to it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/music-pirates-study_n_2526417.html

     

     

Piracy is a crime

“You wouldn’t steal a car.

 You wouldn’t steal a handbag. 
You wouldn’t steal a mobile phone. 
You wouldn’t steal a movie.
 Piracy is stealing.
 Stealing is against the law. Piracy. It’s a crime.”

I saw the words in a small video, It's very meaningful.
Piracy is a crime, it's stealing other people's property. these acting like copying, showing,and selling the unauthorized things.

But I think most of people would like to watch free movie and listen free music, at this time, it would definitely hurt the entertainment business but without free activity online，the normal people can live without music and movie if they have to pay what they need to pay.Piracy has positive and negative effects on the entertainment industries, with the growing number of piracy the industries also growing up.

As I know, the country like China where I come from, the unauthorized DVDs or CDs are still selling in the market, the government did announcement of Copyright Law, but the market is too wild to control. Everyone knows that piracy is a crime, we need to support the music and film industries by buying authorized CDs or go to the theater. A lot of middle class begin to follow the laws.

In my point of view, the good point which are government control and economy.  Without both of them, we will become a crimes.


by wenyi

sites http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmZm8vNHBSU