5 ms·

It started as a scare tactic that goes back all the way to when people "pirated" music by recording radio on tape. The idea was to turn public opinion against

It started as a scare tactic that goes back all the way to when people "pirated" music by recording radio on tape. The idea was to turn public opinion against copyright infringement by using terminology associated with violent crimes, such as piracy and robbery. Ofc it backfired spectacularly, with the "pirating" community adopting the term and reveling in it. Who could have known that using a term that the general public immediately associates positively with countless novels, movies and other works of fiction, radiating a flair of adventure, swashbuckler charm and the freedom of the carribean seas, would fail to turn public opinion against something :D

OfSanguineFire 3y ago
The use of "pirate" for copyright infringement goes back to at least the 19th century and was originally used of books. By the time taping off radio started, the term was already well entrenched.
- chongli 3y ago
  This is especially weird because there’s another usage of pirate in the form of “pirate radio.” This refers to radio stations that broadcast illegally, without a license. They also have a kind of swashbuckling reputation!
  - alibarber 3y ago
    In the strictest sense the didn't broadcast illegally because they were at sea outside of the jurisdiction of any country.
  - tetris11 3y ago
    No doubt, Radio Caroline and Radio London both operated offshore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Caroline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Caroline
- fluoridation 3y ago
  Apparently this usage goes at least as far back as the 18th century! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement#%22Piracy%22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement#%22Pira...
HPsquared 3y ago
Reminds me of that photo of Winston Churchill with the Tommy Gun, the Germans tried to spin it as him bring a gangster but it just ended up looking "cool". https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/winston-churchill-tommy-gun-1940/ https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/winston-churchill-tommy-gun...
beej71 3y ago
Nowadays it's looking a lot more like Robin Hood the outlaw rather than Blackbeard, with movie studios, record labels, and book publishers taking up the roles of Prince John, The Sheriff of Nottingham, and Sir Guy.

OfSanguineFire 3y ago

The use of "pirate" for copyright infringement goes back to at least the 19th century and was originally used of books. By the time taping off radio started, the term was already well entrenched.

chongli 3y ago
This is especially weird because there’s another usage of pirate in the form of “pirate radio.” This refers to radio stations that broadcast illegally, without a license. They also have a kind of swashbuckling reputation!
- alibarber 3y ago
  In the strictest sense the didn't broadcast illegally because they were at sea outside of the jurisdiction of any country.
- tetris11 3y ago
  No doubt, Radio Caroline and Radio London both operated offshore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Caroline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Caroline
fluoridation 3y ago
Apparently this usage goes at least as far back as the 18th century! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement#%22Piracy%22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement#%22Pira...

HPsquared 3y ago

Reminds me of that photo of Winston Churchill with the Tommy Gun, the Germans tried to spin it as him bring a gangster but it just ended up looking "cool". https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/winston-churchill-tommy-gun-1940/ https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/winston-churchill-tommy-gun...

beej71 3y ago

Nowadays it's looking a lot more like Robin Hood the outlaw rather than Blackbeard, with movie studios, record labels, and book publishers taking up the roles of Prince John, The Sheriff of Nottingham, and Sir Guy.