Legalities of Internet Piracy Leaning More towards It Being a Good Thing - Essay Example

Legalities of Internet Piracy Leaning More towards It Being a Good Thing Introduction In the present scenario, the internet is identified to be used in an effective manner, as an important source of entertainment along with information on a global context. Additionally, the internet has changed the trend of communication along with conducting business operations. Currently, it has also facilitated in sharing information in an easier and faster manner. The internet possesses vast source of information and in this regard, information is offered with a copyright. Copyright materials imply that sharing and downloading of internet contents without prior permission of the copyright owner are illegal. Copyright materials that are illegal to share or download include music, television shows, books, software, movies and intellectual property. In this regard, internet piracy is a procedure of distribution as well as duplication of copyright contents1. The increased issues of internet piracy have raised the need for anti-piracy act. In this purview, anti-piracy acts which include ‘Stop Online Piracy Act’ (SOPA) as well as ‘Protect IP Act of 2011’ (PIPA) have been enacted with the aim of minimizing online piracy. The anti-piracy policies have assisted in preventing internet users to access foreign sites having pirated contents. Contextually, the foreign sites will be blocked and also enacted provisions of undertaking legal actions against ‘Internet advertising services’, ‘search engine providers’ as well as ‘payment network providers’ for offering support to infringing sites2. Currently, internet piracy is identified to provide different information, software and digital media among others in a cost effective or free manner. Subsequently, software developers publishing unique products with high prices due to monopoly are seemed to be affected for infringement. However, the piracy of software and other intellectual property is seemed to adversely affect the profit ratios of different companies. In this regard, the essay emphasizes the concept that despite the apparent negativities, legalities of internet piracy might provide certain unique benefits for different sections of the industry. Discussion In the present scenario, the internet is used in an immense manner as a source of information as well as communication mean. The internet users are facilitated with the opportunity of having access to immense information. Additionally, the internet users are able to possess different information, software and digital media among others in a free manner. Internet piracy is identified to adversely affect the sales and the profit figures of copyright companies in accomplishing their business objectives. Internet piracy comprises different forms which include classified ad sites, auction site piracy, Peer-to-Peer (P2P), Newsgroup piracy, torrent sites, ‘File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites, ‘Internet Relay Chat’ (IRC), Share hosting sites and Serials sites. The sites are used effectively with the intention of ensuring that internet users are offered with different information and software cost effectively and efficiently. Besides, the internet users are able to download different copyright materials for free. Thus, the internet users with the assistance of different forms of internet piracy are able to download required information as well as software effectively3. The download of copyright information or content from different sites without fee is identified as internet piracy. The availability of copyright contents which include P2P contents and Cyberlocker services among others have facilitated in sharing copyright contents in an illegal manner. In this context, it is affirmed that sharing of copyright contents in a free manner has increased the usage of the internet and augmented internet popularity amid global people. Subsequently, the growth of the internet has resulted in internet infringement. The free as well as simple accessibility of copyright materials with the assistance of piracy ecosystem has aided in building the popularity of websites from where millions of internet users are capable of obtaining them. In this regard, it has been estimated that internet infringement has increased in a significant manner during the period of 2010 to 2013. It has also been witnessed that areas or regions where internet piracy is legally banned have witnessed a rise in internet infringement. The majority of internet users generally mostly consist of three different regions which include Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The three regions are determined to account for around 82.6% of global internet users and bandwidth consumed is determined to be 95.1% on a global context. The use of the internet in the three areas have increased owing to the fact of downloading infringed contents that include cyberlockers, video streaming and bit torrent among others. Thus, the usage of the internet has increased currently due to internet piracy4. Internet piracy has adversely affected different software and music companies with respect to their sales figure and profit margin. Additionally, internet piracy is also determined to affect the sale of DVDs and CDs. The sale of legitimate CDs have reduced owing to the fact of downloading illegal copy of different software and music among others have increased significantly on a global context5. Presently, the concept of internet piracy is used in an immense manner through different internet forms that comprise P2P system, IRC, ‘File Transfer Protocol’ (FTP) and auction sites among others. In this regard, internet users are able to obtain copyright contents from the internet at no cost. Correspondingly, the publishers of copyright contents are recognized to run in losses for increased sales of copyright contents. Additionally, the publishers and companies are identified to be under the threat of internet infringement. Correspondingly, copyright law has been implemented in different countries with the aim of reducing internet infringement. The law signifies that publishers or copyright holders are facilitated with the rights of having exclusive control over developing as well as distributing copies of copyright materials. Consequently, copyright holders and publishers of different contents that include audio, music, games and software aim to ensure that copyright contents are not copied. Contextually, the copyright holders are offered with the license and the authority of using copyright materials on the basis of the requirements. In this respect, pirating of copyright materials is considered under different penalties that include jail sentences or paying damages. The law is identified to be implemented on a national basis, which implies that the law is identified in one particular country while in other countries the law might not be legally enforced. Consequently, pirates identifying the loopholes in the law might continue with internet piracy activities6. Additionally, new internet laws that include SOPA and PIPA are implemented with the aim of reducing internet infringement. SOPA has been implemented with the aim of reducing the problem of infringement of intellectual property and internet by the expansion of criminal penalties as well as enforcement mechanisms. The act has assisted in restricting access to different websites that offer counterfeit as well as pirated materials. Accordingly, the act aids the internet users in safeguarding their piracy. It also restricts foreign sites from providing infringed materials through various forms that include search engines and advertising services7. PIPA act has been implemented with the aim of minimizing threats in relation to economic creativity. Additionally, the act also assists in safeguarding intellectual property from infringement. Infringement of intellectual property is seemed to adversely affect economic growth, job creation and welfare activities. In this regard, the websites providing counterfeit materials have aided in restricting the internet users in accessing and downloading copyright materials for free from them8. The implementation of copyright law and others different laws that include SOFA and PIPA have been ineffective in reducing internet piracy owing to the fact that most of the global internet used obtain pirated goods instead on legal terms. The copyright law is implemented in different regions with the intention of protecting the rights of copyright holder. In this purview, copyright holders are able to safeguard their products from being pirated. Moreover, copyright holders with the assistance of antipiracy law are able to minimize their losses for the sales of pirated copies9. However, internet piracy is seemed to be accepted in different countries for better accessibility as well as downloadable facility for internet users. The internet users are able to download costly software and other products free of cost through infringed websites10. It has been identified that internet piracy is considered as ethical for different reasons, which are discussed in detail hereunder: Economic In the present scenario, internet piracy has increased on the global context for duplicating as well as downloading copyright contents that include games, music, movies and software among others. Internet users have signified that internet infringed materials are downloaded immensely due to high prices of original products. In this respect, internet users downloading copyright materials free of cost from different websites offering copyright materials. Subsequently, internet users with the availability of free copyright materials have changed the perceptions of the users in obtaining free copyright materials than paying high costs11. Exposure Internet piracy is also identified to be ethical on the ground that piracy might be used as a technique of publicity for musicians and software companies among others. According to the viewpoints of piracy defenders, piracy has facilitated different software and music companies on spreading programs on a global context. In this respect, piracy might act as a procedure of sharing knowledge as well as information to internet users worldwide. Contextually, internet piracy is seemed to aid different software, games and music companies in promoting their products globally in a cost effective manner12. Easy Access Internet piracy is used in an appealing manner owing to the fact that global internet users are able to obtain different copyright software, games and music without costs. Additionally, internet users are also facilitated with the opportunity of downloading internet contents in an endless way. Besides, internet piracy is also recognized to assist internet users in having a better access towards various types of products which include old or latest software, videos and songs among others. Correspondingly, internet piracy also aids companies in obtaining different products from infringed websites in an easy manner. Respectively, internet piracy is identified to be playing an effective role for different software and music companies among others in promoting products on a global domain at no cost. Additionally, internet piracy is also used as a medium of better accessibility and download facility for internet users. In this regard, internet piracy is identified to be considered ethical in different countries by piracy defenders13. Presently, increase in internet piracy has augmented to a large extent and subsequently, internet piracy has assisted software and other companies in having a better exposure as well as accessibility of their products on the global context. Piracy is identified to act in a positive manner for old music for retaining their aliveness. Additionally, internet piracy has also acted as a boon towards music industry owing to the fact that it has increased the download of music albums. Consequently, internet users are able to download music albums of their choice at a no cost, which raises their attachment towards music. In the long run, increased demand for music will assist music industry to conduct their operations with better sales. Internet piracy is identified to provide internet data that include games, music and software among others in a time efficient manner before the availability of original products, which raises their popularity globally. Thus, the companies are able to conduct their business operations successfully along with better profit margin in worldwide market segments. Internet piracy is also determined to act as an important technique of promoting movie, video or music of low budget artists to worldwide market segments. In this respect, promotion of low budget movie and videos among others has assisted artists in gaining immense popularity. Piracy also aids low budget moviemakers and video developers in having better sales as well as profitability of their products. In this context, it can be identified that small companies use internet piracy as an effective tool of marketing as well as financial strategy14. Internet piracy is used in an immense manner globally owing to the changing behavior along with attitude of people in having better social benefits of distributing copyright materials for controlling high costs of unique advanced products of big corporations. Respectively, availability of advanced software and latest games among others at a free cost aids in developing a belief that downloading pirated internet contents is not unethical. Moreover, the perception of todays’ internet users is seemed to possess an ethical orientation that internet piracy is associated with positive outcomes towards downloading of pirated materials with respect to social cost, ethical beliefs and consequences15. Internet users seek to adopt piracy as an important medium for discovering as well as accessing new contents. Subsequently, it has been identified that internet piracy has been beneficial towards the development along with growth of mass media, as internet users with the assistance of internet piracy are able to discover different TV shows, artists and movies among others. Contextually, internet piracy has facilitated in reducing obscurity of mass media. Additionally, internet piracy has aided internet users in having better access to products of different countries, which might not be available in their respective regions. Subsequently, internet users with the assistance of piracy are able to procure their desired internet contents conveniently and cost effectively16 . Internet piracy is also determined to be responsible for innovation towards the development of different file sharing technologies which include BitTorrent. BitTorrent is an advanced technological development, which facilitates internet users in downloading different internet contents without any centralized network. BitTorrent does not require a host to conduct file transfer operations. In this purview, it can be ascertained that internet piracy has led to the development of innovative technologies17. Critical Evaluation It can be comprehended that internet is an important source of information, entertainment and communication for people on a global context. The use of internet has enhanced in a rapid manner owing to the availability of vast information and downloadable contents at a cost free manner. In this regard, global internet users are identified to download as well as surf over the internet immensely. The changing trend in the use of internet has led towards increased download as well as copying of copyright materials, which in return is recognized to be illegal and identified as internet piracy. Internet piracy is performed in different internet contents which include videos, songs and software among others. In this respect, increased internet piracy is seemed to adversely affect the sales as well as the profit margins of software, music and other industries for duplicating and publishing copyright contents illegally18;19. Additionally, increased copyright infringement and internet piracy has been accountable for affecting the monopoly market of different software and music companies among others due to reduced market share and business performances. Correspondingly, copyright holders are facilitated with different internet laws which include SOFA and PIPA with the intention of minimizing piracy. The acts are implemented in order to protect copyright holders from the duplication of their copyright materials. Additionally, the acts are enacted with the aim of restricting foreign sites from providing infringed materials. The acts also seemed to undertake legal actions against different service providers operating in alignment with infringed sites. Moreover, anti-piracy policies have assisted copyright holders to deal with piracy. However, it has been recognized that anti-piracy laws are ineffective in controlling copyright infringement and internet piracy, as in certain countries the laws are enacted, while in other countries such laws are not enacted. Respectively, piracy has increased in an immense manner in the present day context in three major regions which include North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe20;21;22;23. Internet piracy is identified to be considered ethical on the ground that internet piracy of high costs software and other internet contents have aided in obtaining different materials in a free manner. Additionally, internet piracy has assisted big corporations operating in a monopoly way in worldwide market segments to reduce costs. It has also facilitated software and music industry among others to promote their products to worldwide market segments. Moreover, internet piracy has also aided internet users in having an easy access towards pirated contents that include music, videos and software among others as compared to original contents for inadequate availability in different regions. It is accountable for development of advanced technologies and innovation in the internet or online world through the introduction of different forms of internet that include P2P, FTP, BitTorrent and IRC among others. Respectively, internet piracy has leaned towards technological advancement, which has assisted internet users in having better access to unique software and music among others. Moreover, internet users are also able to procure different high costs materials in a cost effective manner24;25. Conclusion It can be comprehended from the foregoing discussion that the internet has facilitated global users with effective communication, entertainment and information medium. Global users with the assistance of internet are facilitated in having better access to unique contents that include software, music and videos among others. The internet is also identified to be accountable for duplication and downloads of copyright materials immensely. In this respect, in order to protect copyright holders, different anti-piracy laws are enacted which include SOFA and PIPA. The policies restricted foreign infringed sites and service providers. The anti-piracy acts are ineffective in different regions for negligible enforcement. Presently, internet piracy is identified to be used with minimum legal restrictions in different regions, as it is considered to be ethical on different grounds that include easy accessibility, economical and exposure. Internet piracy has assisted global users in obtaining different unique materials at free with better access as compared to the availability of original materials. Additionally, internet piracy has assisted software and music companies among others to promote their products on a global context, which might aid in improving sales and profit margin. Subsequently, the exposure of different products over the internet through internet piracy has assisted software and music companies among others to improve their customer base and market share. References Aipla. (2011). Preventing real online threats to economic creativity and theft of Intellectual Property Act Of 2011. Retrieved from http://www.aipla.org/advocacy/congress/112C/Documents/S968SenateRpt.pdf Greenemeier, L. (2012). OPA opera: White House shuts down online anti-piracy bill. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sopa-opera-white-house/ Hunnewell, L. (2008). Internet piracy. United States of America: Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. Lee, J. (2012). 4 ways in which internet piracy can be a good thing [opinion]. Retrieved from http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-ways-internet-piracy-good-opinion/ Lysonski, S., & Durvasula, S. (2008). Digital piracy of MP3s: Consumer and ethical predispositions. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 25(3), 167-178. Malm, J. (2011). Ethical reflection on internet piracy. Retrieved from http://www.idt.mdh.se/kurser/cd5590/Archives/07_11/Examples-Papers_LectureNotes/Ethical%20Reflections%20on%20Internet%20Piracy.pdf Peitz, M., & Waelbroeck, P. (2003). The effect of internet piracy on CD sales: Cross-section evidence. Retrieved from http://www.serci.org/2004/waelbroeck.pdf Pike, G. H. (2012). Stop Online Piracy Act. Retrieved from http://www.aallnet.org/Documents/Government-Relations/Issue-Briefs-and-Reports/2012/SOPAonepager.pdf Price, D. (2013). Sizing the piracy universe. Retrieved from http://copyrightalliance.org/sites/default/files/2013-netnames-piracy.pdf The Economist Newspaper Limited. (2013). Internet piracy is good for films. Retrieved from http://moreintelligentlife.com/story/internet-piracy-is-good-for-films-1 The Software & Information Industry Association. (2014). Internet piracy. Retrieved from https://www.siia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=337&Itemid=350 Read More