Feds Using Seized Domains to Promote Anti-Piracy PSA

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This pisses me off.

It pissed me off when the US PSAs came out associating marijuana with automobile collisions and unwanted pregnancies in the early 2000s. I don't smoke weed, but I've seen life and limb lost to alcohol, moving vehicles and poor judgement under the influence. That's where the PSAs should be directed.

This new anti-piracy video pisses me off for the same reason.

Its premise is untrue. Not a single project has been cancelled due to the profit margin getting undercut specifically by media piracy. Not a single person has been fired due to someone downloading movies, or music, or software for free.

With no stats, this commercial is bullshit. And PSAs based on bullshit contraindicate a valid point (whether or not there is one).

Regarding piracy, itself, I've explained my position plenty of times elsewhere on The Escapist. In short, there are no good guys nor bad guys. Given how often consumers are expected to repurchase a favorite movie, every time it comes out on new media we're expected to buy it again[footnote]Will you buy Star Wars on Blu Ray? On 3D? The 40th Anniversary Edition in 2017?[/footnote] and given that music licenses expire whenever companies feel like it (say, when they change their DRM), requiring consumers to re-purchase their music? Is this right?

On the other hand, when my CD of Yes 90125 wears out, and I download the .mp3s, is that piracy? According to the RIAA, it should be, despite my valid license. I play Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth (I), but my DVDs are lost in my room somewhere. Is it piracy if I download it to install it on my laptop? According to ICE, it is. I owned the VCR for Ghostbusters and then the DVD. Should I be required to re-purchases it again on Blu-Ray, or are my two previously-obtained licenses for it valid? According to the MPAA, they are not.

There are ways companies can make the digital age work for them. Closing down download sites or (as is equally often happening) torrent indexes, is not the way to do it.

238U

 

[Triggerhappy938]

So, if I take five movies, is she going to be fired five times? Didn't that guy before me take a movie? So, she's already been fired, right? Are you going to re-hire her just to fire her if I take one?

 

[Heinrich843]

Yes. Someone, somewhere is going to get fired from their job because expected sales did not total to the expected amount.

I get that other people find this stupid, but it's also blatantly untrue.

How many films or games got exposure they wouldn't have otherwise due to piracy? If someone pirates something, it doesn't mean they're willing to pay for it.

Downloading means that they're willing to download it for free, not pay for it.

 

[draythefingerless]

Has a PSA ever worked? I mean, has anyone ever changed their outlook on any subject at all. Because of a minute a half commercial?

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[Baresark]

That woman will never lose her job because even with a hit from piracy (a number that can only be estimated at absolute best, and it also assumes that a pirated copy is not a sale of the movie, which is not explicitly true) because they are still turning a huge profit. If she didn't have a job, someone would still need to be doing her job, even if she isn't doing it. Now is as good a time as any to bring up competitive wages.

The real threat to movies is the videogame industry, which has usurped it's position as the number 1 entertainment industry.

Put that in your mouth and chew on that for a while.

 

[sosolidshoe]

Hilarious, especially the bit about it "costing jobs", a statement that they keep making, but seem to have yanked directly out of their crusty, Luddite arseholes, considering that all the independent academic studies on the matter have concluded either that piracy has no measurable effect, or is actually a small boon to the industry.

I think this is appropriate.

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EDIT: Actually, I'm surprised old Chalky isn't posting this story, and taking the opportunity to praise ICE for their succinct and accurate portrayal of the harm piracy does to the world's media, he never usually misses a chance to lick the boots of corporate America.

 

[Aureliano]

I love the idea that the problem with piracy is that whenever you pirate a movie or game, you steal the money IN YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT away from multi-billionaires in the industry who care nothing for you. It's also fun that Homeland Security is spending its time and money protecting rich businessmen and women from private citizens who may not even be able to afford said rich businesspeoples' products but do not wish to be deprived of entertainment.

I'm not endorsing piracy by any means, but I just want to point out that these arguments should not convince anyone of the ills of piracy.

The garage game developer? The independent movie studio? Those are the guys and gals who should make pirates think twice. Not a draconian arm of the government.

 

[Joshic Shin]

I dunno, it's a tricky issue.

One of the problems with movies has been the ever increasing prices. Twenty dollars for me and my girlfriend to catch a film, but totally free through a torrent. I feel particularly bad for the video game industry who has such a difficult time fighting piracy, something that hurts all of us in the gaming community in the long run.

Honestly, I think that the movie industry needs to try and cut costs so that the price of tickets stops it's ridicoulus climb. I understand, movies are expensive, but when I have to pay $20 to see an IMAX movie you are pricing yourselves outside of my desire to spend a night in your theater and into the arms of a dashing young rogue.

 

[Quaidis]

I love it. That's some funny stuff right there, and well-played.

edit - I want to see The Escapist do an anti-piracy game ad.

 

[smithy1234]

The movie industry needs to wake up and realize that these PSA's don't discourage anyone and merely attract negative attention toward the whole issue. They should just come to terms with the fact that the internet is not going away and neither are downloads. Time to adapt the age old business model or keep producing these ridiculous videos whilst whining.

 

[snfonseka]

Doesn't Homeland Security has better things to do? Rather than doing the job of a set of private companies, who should do the job themselves.

 

[smithy1234]

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Also watch this one to rage even more, sharing something that isn't yours is stealing guize!

 

[Alphakirby]

I call bullshit. How does pirating something get someone fired? It doesn't,people get fired because the big wigs want more money,in some cases pirating may increase revenue if say the pirate doesn't spread the pirated materials,but merely flaunts it. Me or anyone else pirating isn't going to cost people who were already paid to lose their jobs.

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

Cute.

 

[aPod]

"Dont steal, the government hates competition" -Sign sitting on Ron Pauls Desk

 

[Artemicion]

The DHS has never, ever had good PR.

 

[Plurralbles]

the ***** shouldn't have decided that her life would be shitty enough that she'd be mic lady for people who people actually care about.

 

[Trogdor1138]

So, for once an Escapist piracy topic isn't ripping apart pirates like they're scum?

No fucking surprises here that Piracy doesn't do shit to harm the industries as much as they would like you to think.