Piracy has gained a greater context as the times have changed.
It is primarily a question of morality because we have consistently been told that piracy is illegal and holds serious consequences.
But, in a world where a person has to pay for several streaming services just to watch a handful of their favorite TV shows, is piracy really a moral block?
In a digital world that presents this type of problem, the simple answer is that it does not.
Whether it’s through a website that displays poor-quality blockbusters for free or through somebody selling it, most people have been aware of pirated material at some point.
Pirating has made it so that stealing is no longer considered just physically taking something without permission and using it to your advantage, but has branched out to simply viewing something for your own enjoyment.
Just like everything, piracy has evolved as a society has forayed into the digital era, prompting new rules and regulations in the process.
In the same way stealing anything is illegal and at times leads to serious punishments, piracy of any sort is illegal and can lead to prison time or heavy fines if caught.
But should distributing or possessing illegally pirated material be a reason to face a large fine or worse?
Obviously, law enforcement is well within their right to pursue those who have stolen the intellectual property of another individual to sell as their own.
This is what probably keeps most individuals from pirating, the fact that there can be dire consequences if caught.
But if someone could pirate films, music and other luxuries without facing any consequences, would they?
Most people would be in favor of piracy if there weren’t any legal ramifications tied to it because nobody likes to pay to watch or listen to something when there is an option to access it for free somewhere else.
This is one of the reasons that websites that have ‘free’ film and television would probably track so much usership- it bypasses the demand to pay in excess to view your favorite movies and TV shows.
In a day and age where a monthly subscription to such services like HBO and Netflix can be as high as $16 a month, piracy websites seem like the offer that one cannot refuse.
The issues that come with piracy directly tie to issues such as the inevitable monetary loss and copyright issues that comes with distributing unsolicited material.
But this is also a time where a new streaming channel seemingly pops up everyday and the demand for more money frequently increases.
As a result of this, accessibility to the desired product decreases because of overall demand for streaming devices and other such platforms increasing.
When it comes to piracy, it is typically better to be the customer rather than the distributor because they are the main source at the end of the day.
This provides convenience to the customer and further provides the opportunity to experience new music or to learn something completely new.
Piracy is okay in the sense that it provides convenience, however it does take away from that fact that it is also illegal.
Piracy is a gateway, but like any gateway, it can lead down a slippery slope that can prove problematic when overused.
