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Pluralistic: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing" (pluralistic.net)

submitted 11 months ago by kpw@kbin.social to c/technology@lemmy.world

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The ability to change features, prices, and availability of things you've already paid for is a powerful temptation to corporations.

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[–] abuttifulpigeon@lemmy.world -1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (5 children)

An associate of mine defines stealing as, "taking (either by cloning or removing) something (either digital or physical) of which is not of your original possession"

If anyone has a rebuttal, please help.

Edit: What's with the downvotes? I'm on your side.

[–] OmegaPillar@lemmy.ca 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

It's not really a rebuttal, but by that assessment, a person may not view a webpage, as the browser copies files from a distant server for viewing.

[–] Phrodo_00@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

It's because that's not a common definition and it's not even a good one. No normal person would call cloning stealing. Also, this completely misses lending, gifting, downloading a webpage or even renting. All of those would be stealing under this definition.

[–] TheDezzick@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago

It's not so much a rebuttal, but ask if they think stealing has any relation to depriving another person of something. Imo, they have a correct, though extremely narrow, definition of stealing that doesn't leave any nuance for comparing different kinds of stealing. Piracy, or as they would say 'stealing digital media' is not a kind of stealing that deprives another person of that thing, so clearly it's somewhat different than stealing money or physical property.

If they aren't willing to entertain that there are different kinds of stealing then they're ignorant of reality and it might not be worth your time to try to change their mind.

[–] poopkins@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Hi, welcome to the Technology community here on Lemmy! Discourse is not tolerated here, so please just tack on your endorsement of piracy and leave your civility at the door.

[–] abuttifulpigeon@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I never endorsed it. Sure, it may be justified, but that doesn't make it legal.

[–] poopkins@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

Whoa whoa, we don't take kindly to people telling us that. Only a boot-licking, brain-dead, corporate shill wouldn't outright endorse piracy. Take your nuance somewhere else, pal!

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago

Who cares what your associate uses as a definition, stealing / theft has long established definitions. You can just point and laugh and say that your associate doesn't actually understand the words he/she is using.

You could say that you define agreeing as "thinking someone is completely wrong", and that you agree with your associate.