this post was submitted on 07 May 2025
98 points (92.2% liked)

Piracy: ꜱᴀɪʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴇᴀꜱ

60882 readers
493 users here now

⚓ Dedicated to the discussion of digital piracy, including ethical problems and legal advancements.

Rules • Full Version

1. Posts must be related to the discussion of digital piracy

2. Don't request invites, trade, sell, or self-promote

3. Don't request or link to specific pirated titles, including DMs

4. Don't submit low-quality posts, be entitled, or harass others



Loot, Pillage, & Plunder

📜 c/Piracy Wiki (Community Edition):

🏴‍☠️ Other communities

FUCK ADOBE!

Torrenting/P2P:

Gaming:


💰 Please help cover server costs.

Ko-Fi Liberapay
Ko-fi Liberapay

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I wanna listen to a particular song by an artist who has recently turned pretty nazi. As I generally use Spotify I now refuse to listen to his music in there, esp as it generates earnings. I kinda wanna pirate the music somehow…I’m not gonna as I’m not gonna down a song or two and then store it on my phone like it’s the year 2000. But short story is this me justifying piracy to myself.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 1 points 23 minutes ago

Anyone found a convenient way for music that’s not perpuating a subscription? I’m an iPhone user and do like my tunes in the car. I’m good for movies shows etc. Dropped them all ages ago.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

My wife refuses to let me pirate books for her. She wants to support the authors she reads, which is fair. But she decided she wanted to try the Harry Potter books, and asked me to pirate them for her to make sure JK Rowling didn't get a penny out of her.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago

Now that's a keeper

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 hours ago

I periodically delete my Metallica collection so I can re-download it for no other reason than fuck Lars.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

If there is an indie game that I like I will buy it

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 hours ago

I never needed any moralistic reason to pirate.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Pirate away but... i would simply still not listen to any music made by a nazi. Plenty of good songs out there NOT made by a nazi.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago

Yeah. I refuse to give cuts to amazon, spotify, netflix etc.

If I pirate something from a not super rich artist and I really enjoy it. I’ll send them an email and propose to transfer them some money to support them. I don’t want spotify or amazon or google taking a cut.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 hours ago

I am the High Priest of Kopimism. Download from where you want, and go in peace my child.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 hours ago

Nearly everything is priced in dollars and I'm too fucking broke and Brazilian to pay the asking price most of the time.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 hours ago

Of course. I stand on high moral ground when I chose to pirate.

Economy is broken and anti-consumer. Piracy if the only way I know to balance things of. If I wouldn't be pirating I would just be letting those economic bullies take advantage of me.

And specially with cultural products there's another big reason, as I think human culture is to be shared, not sold. I do actually think is inmoral to prevent other humans to freely access anything that could be considered cultural.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

My piracy is probably equal parts sticking it to greedy corpos and me just not wanting to pay when I can get it for free.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 hours ago

Same, but rather than not wanting to pay its more like I can't afford to pay.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

Yeah I pirate all the games that:

  • Require an internet connection
  • Use Denuvo
  • Require a dedicated launcher
  • Require a connected account

If you're going to make the paid experience significantly worse than the free one because you want to implement anti-consumer BS, go fuck yourself

[–] [email protected] 1 points 39 minutes ago

Yeh I am not a gamer but have a family of them. As the tech person I’m usually the one dealing with purchases and set up. The evolution of gaming has become a real burden.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

Really important "morals" you've got there. External launchers? Really? Almost like people just look for excuses to pirate and save money. At least be honest with yourself.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Then don't give me excuses. Don't be a scumbag. External launchers only exist to serve ads and DRM, they have no benefit to the consumer. I own hundreds of games, imagine if each one of them required a dedicated launcher!?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 15 hours ago

Also rootkit anti cheat.

[–] [email protected] 87 points 21 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 35 points 19 hours ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 37 minutes ago

Hmm I suppose I should amend. I have had this same dilemma with RKelly then MJ. I just can’t condone some artists.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 19 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 22 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

Honestly there's so much wonderful art out there not created by Nazis, I don't know that it's worth the energy to pirate Nazi music.

I totally understand the moral pirate argument, I just don't have time to enjoy all of the games, movies, and music from artists I support. To waste what time I have engaging with content from people I find morally repugnant is just not where I'm investing

[–] [email protected] 1 points 35 minutes ago

I totally agree. I just mentioned RKelly and MJ. I have had to stop listening. As time goes by more comes to light and I lose some good tunes.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago

Same goes for sexual abusers too.

Doesn't matter how good that first Lostprophets album is, I just can't listen to it knowing what Watkins got up to, so I'll listen to music by people who didn't fuck a literal baby.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 20 hours ago (4 children)

Ripping off Jeff Bezos is a moral imperative.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

Similarly, I have pirated The Sims 4 multiple times. Not because I plan on playing it any time soon, but rather because stealing from EA Games is always morally correct.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Why so specific...

Deny all parasites profit and engagement as much as possible where ever possible.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 11 points 17 hours ago

See, that’s the thing. I don’t listen to music by Nazis.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 16 hours ago

Pirating Andor bc Disney+ is on the BDS list. One of the best shows I've ever seen but I'd sooner drop it than violate the boycott, even if money was no object. As things stand, piracy is the only ethical way to watch it.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

If it can't own my media, I'm certainly not going to pay for it.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 16 hours ago

Personally I won't even download it, I even deleted music ive had for years because the artist went maga. And let my daughter use the CD in some arts and crafts, because I can't listen to it anymore.

That said, yeah, I'd prefer to download over buying if I didnt want the company or artist to get the money for it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 16 hours ago

Yup, if you use Denuvo for your games, you can fuck right off

[–] [email protected] 18 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Eh, it's kinda down to personal perspective. In mine, absolutely a reasonable way to handle things if you love the art, but don't feel morally comfortable supporting the artist.

I recommend people pirate Enders Game, because fuck Orson Scott Card.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 20 hours ago (4 children)

I was a newly out queer teenager when OSC started running his mouth about gay marriage. At the same time I was a big Harry Potter fan.

Fuck Orson Scott Card, but he doesn't seem quite so bad anymore.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 11 points 19 hours ago

When I wanted to revisit Harry Potter via audiobook, I pirated the books, and I will do it again someday.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 17 hours ago

I mean free is nice but I seed because fuck the system and upload stuff because it's suppose to be available to all.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (2 children)

A system that allowed one to pirate corporate American made or distributed content while being able to give back directly to creators would be nice.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 13 hours ago

Go to their shows. Buy their merch. That’s where the creators get the most profit.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

You should download it to a personal media server and stream it to your phone if you want to enjoy piracy the modern way.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 17 hours ago

Nah I'm just poor

If I had a better situation though, I would pirate for moral reasons

[–] [email protected] 8 points 20 hours ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 32 minutes ago

I have this. Paid for these things through from cassette and VHS to cd/dvd then paying for streaming. I have paid over and over for some content. I hate subscriptions.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

You have commitment issues with subscriptions.

I despise rent seeking behaviour.

we are not the same.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›