Saturday 4 July 2015

Internet Piracy - The Scum of the Earth, or Just Human Nature?


Piracy is everywhere. There is no disputing that. It wouldn't be arguable that everyone has done it at some point, but there isn't a single country or state that hasn't had at least somebody do it somewhere. Unless you just outright don't have internet.

The fight against piracy is just as intense. So much so, that companies have not minded hurting their legitimate users. But sometimes, such efforts can actually do more to encourage piracy, and in turn, hurt your brand even more.

So how do you stop it? Seriously, how do you stop that?

Well - many people have their own ideas. I am sure there are many more who will argue that their own ideas are the right ones on this issue. It pretty much comes a clusterbomb of big egos, pissed off customers, and very little effective mitigation.

Most of these methods, however, attack the symptoms of the problem, but very few ever go to the cause. It would be like dumping a bucket of ice on a fire - it may or may not work, or the fire may just ignore it entirely and melt all the ice. It's a hit and miss and it really depends on what caused the fire in the first place.

Well - what about going to the source of the problem? What causes it in the first place?

Ironically enough - part of it comes from the human spirit of giving and sharing. Awwww, isn't that sweet? But there's more to it than that. A lot of it may actually stem from a perceived need or necessity. *GASP* Oh, wait? Wait, did I say that right? Yes, I sure did.

I don't see a whole lot of websites putting up polls simply asking users - "why do you engage in piracy?" Of course, such a poll could be incriminating for users - because answering it might mean that they would admit to doing something illegal. But with so many people doing it, it does seem a bit silly that anyone would go after just one single person? However, sometimes they do, and it's often just not worth the risk.

Well - let's break it down ourselves, then. I think there are several possibilities as to why some person might be involved in piracy:
  • Do not want to pay for it at all.
  • Price may just be too high for it.
  • Just because they can.
  • To share something already paid for with a friend/family member.
  • To bypass software restrictions. (This includes DRM as well as "Edition changing")
Let's make one thing clear - This blog is not to advocate the virtues of piracy. It is not to encourage it, nor is it to argue that all media should be free. I do not believe it will ever be completely stopped, either. But I think the only way it will ever be reduced is if we look at why it happens, and try and fix the problems that cause it in the first place. Only then, I believe, will piracy fade into a more "specialist" kind of thing - be more prosecutable - and be less prevalent and less of an issue than it is, today.

So let's look at these problems, and see what we can do about reducing it, then, eh?

Do not want to pay for it at all.

Some people pirate because they believe they should not have to pay for any media at all. Honestly, I believe this category is the only category that classifies a true thief - this is someone who does not want to compensate someone else for their time making their lives easier (or at least more entertaining). They have no interest in donating, supporting, or otherwise helping out the person who created whatever it is they are pirating.

Unfortunately, not much can be done about it. Thieves exist. They're everywhere. You don't have to keep a store open more than a month to see one. Sometimes, they get caught. Sometimes, they don't. That's just the way it is.

But sometimes, such criminals can actually be politically motivated. And truthfully, some of these politics do have moral ground. There is a huge wealth inequality in this world - so great, that the crimes of one thief are felt as less than even a flea to their marks. Is it truly right that people who are so destitute have to give up everything they might own (literally) just for one thing they might need? That's a question of morality and it is beyond the scope of this blog post, but it is nevertheless something to consider. As Spock would say - "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Truer words were never spoken, even in an old television show. That alone doesn't make piracy right, but with the prevalence of thievery in the world, it's a hard ground to break, and doing so could alienate a lot of potential legitimate customers.

Price may just be too high for it.

This is a pretty big category, and I think it actually encompasses the majority of piracy. Have you looked at software prices lately? Sure, it's nowhere near as bad as it was in the 80's, but the prices are still pretty steep. Adobe is a big offender in this category, in my opinion, but others such as Microsoft and Apple are guilty as well.

The thing is - the higher the price, the more a person has to give up to legitimately own a license. Unlike what some people are used to - money does NOT grow on trees, and some people have to work really hard for their own. Even more so when they have family members to support - which, in this troubled economy, has become even more of an issue.

So why are film makers charging $30 for a new film? Why are record companies charging $15 for a new album? Why are software giants charging $60 for a new game? $100 for a new operating system? $500 just for a system that is even somewhat decent for running games? Well - fact is, entertainment goes far for the human soul. We are willing to give up a lot for it. And there is nothing inherently wrong with that - but there is a point where we are just giving up too much for it.

The costs all add up. In the end, we probably spend more on entertainment - which is a luxury - than anything else. But is entertainment really a luxury? For some people, it might be. For some, it may be a means for living. It all depends on the person. But if you can't embrace a little bit of it, then you may as well be dead on the inside.

I would argue that lower prices on the whole would do a LOT to curb this problem. There just isn't much need to spend $60 for a couple weeks worth of entertainment. I think more reasonable prices - like $8 for a new Blu-Ray, and possibly about $15 for a new high-stakes studio game - would shake piracy itself to its very foundations - enough that companies would start seeing profits soar. Imagine that - affordable entertainment! What a novelty, right?

Just because they can.

Yes, some people do it just because they can. Like the theif category, not much can be done about this, because to them pirating is more of a hobby. And as long as DRM exists in software, there will always exist people who will crack it. And many more who will make the cracks available to everyone. As long as any media is locked behind a price gate, there will always be someone who gives away free copies. It's human nature. But those things CAN be discouraged, and those things can mostly disappear in time if nothing is done to encourage it.

To share something already paid for with a friend/family member.

This is probably another one of the more common reasons why piracy is done. And it's something companies absolutely hate. But is it really so evil?

When you buy a toy at Walmart, you can give it to your kids, and they can share it with each other. It is truly unnecessary to have one of every toy for each one of your kids, just as much as it is unnecessary to have one refrigerator for every family member, one stove for every family member, and one dishwasher for each one as well.

Yes, our neighbors and friends come over to our houses all the time. So does our extended family. They all use our food, they all use our stoves, our refrigerators, and our dishwashers.

So why can't we do that with media?

One argument - and a legitimate one, too, I might add - is that while you can share stoves, refrigerators, and dishwashers with your family members, you only need one item to be able to share it with all those people, and such things often work well because you never need more than one. Media, on the other hand, can be copied, and when it is you are essentially making two of one item with its full functionality, and in effect not requiring the same kind of time-sharing that is required with refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers. Many publishers want to be paid for that new copy - which, completely beyond their control - appeared out of nothingness. So, in order to solve this from a legal standpoint, software is licensed - either to individual computers or to individual users (or sometimes, their organizations). And sometimes licenses are written in such a way that sharing - even with family members - is strictly prohibited. But this really does not solve the problem.

I am not going to waste time trying to argue about what can be done to curb this. I am sorry but this is where I draw the line. I think it's pointless to try and stop friend and family sharing and it goes against the very essence of cooperation and human spirit. But if you engage in such pursuits, best of luck to you.

To bypass software restrictions such as "Editions" or DRM.

This is a big one, and it is near and dear to my heart. I'm going to be perfectly straight-up blunt about this, and I am not going to say this in any nicer way:
DRM is evil evil evil evil!
Want to know how evil? That line was the first 6 results from a Google search. I think the fact that it can come up with 6 relevant results in a row (possibly more but I didn't bother checking) supporting my argument says something, and it says it quite clear: People don't like DRM. It is evil. It is not good, it doesn't protect you, it doesn't protect them, it doesn't promote sales, it is just plain evil. That's it. That's all. Evil. Nothing more to it than that.

Have I made my point clear yet? Yes? Good. Because if you have missed it, then there is no hope for you to understand this blog and you will never be able to understand human nature or why piracy happens. Trust me - you won't be able to stop it, either.

I am sure a lot of people cling to DRM for fear that if they do let it go, it will only encourage more people to pirate their software. But ultimately, that is not true. Those who would've done it, have already done it, and those who will do it, will always find a way. DRM does nothing to protect your software. Nothing, whatsoever. And if your software is truly free of piracy, it probably was never worth being pirated (or even bought) in the first place.

In fact, DRM encourages piracy. I know this point is a bit of a quagmire to hold to, but I believe it is still valid. I actually believe that people are so sick and tired of DRM that, rather than going through the trouble of legitimately spending their hard-earned money for software, which has restrictions and inconveniences, they'd rather find a way to use it for free - and free of DRM. Remember - these people are not evil - that is human nature and piracy offers a path of far less resistance for those people.

From a political standpoint, people also actively boycott software which has DRM in it. Funny, I know, isn't it? The fact that it's done far more harm than good should have lent no surprise to that.

Another thing a lot of software developers do - for strange reasons, I might add - is they release the same copy of their software with different price points calling each difference a different "edition" - with progressively more expensive editions being tailored for business use and having more features and software freedom than the more restrictive home license counterparts. But piracy easily breaks the bonds of such "restrictions" and allows a "home user" the ability to use a fully featured version of the software - ironically enough, using only very few of the extra features that they cracked for in the first place.

Way to stop that? Just give everyone the same software for a reasonable price. Without silly DRM restrictions. I think the digital media world would be a much happier place.

So how DO you deal with piracy?

So - you've made it this far. I bet you wonder just how would I deal with piracy, myself?

Simple. Don't charge outrageous prices for it, don't introduce DRM, and ... *drumroll* encourage people to buy it. Yes - put a statement - or a notice - not a nag box (because somebody will just remove that, anyway) - give your contact info, your mailing address, and simply state "if you like this software, please purchase it, it will go a long way to supporting development!" And follow through with that. Focus on the positive sales of your software or media and use that to make it better, and make more. Don't threaten the consumer with legal consequences, and don't inundate them with 10-page license agreements - just be straight and simple. If a person feels more like a person, than a robot, then it will be how your customers relate to you.

Will that stop piracy? You bet your sweet ass it won't. But at least it won't create all the ill will with your users that encourage it in the first place. I think the first step to stopping piracy at all is to stop upsetting your customers in the first place to the point where they resort to such things.

And remember this, above all else - Most of your customers have done nothing wrong. Why are you punishing them for something other people have done?