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I wouldn't use the term "property theft", as even though there's a very clear analogue to IP and digital economics for anyone who cares to think about it, pro-p
by throw10920 2y ago
I wouldn't use the term "property theft", as even though there's a very clear analogue to IP and digital economics for anyone who cares to think about it, pro-piracy pedants will gladly jump on the term (which is strongly tied to physical property) to avoid addressing the problem itself. This problem doesn't happen as much with other terms like "theft", "IP theft", and "piracy".
- pbhjpbhj 2y agoYou don't have to be "pro-piracy" to be anti media propaganda that tries to equate duplication with denial of a person's right to their own property. They're very different things. If you think copyright infringement and theft are synonymous then presumably you'd be happy with people paying for copyrighted goods with a picture of some money, because a copy that doesn't involve a transference of control is identical with the actual item, right?!
- akoboldfrying 2y agoIf I watch you type in your bank password, I haven't stolen it from you, because you still know your bank password. No theft occurred, so everything's fine, right?
- pbhjpbhj 2y agoYou're right, you didn't steal my bank password, you can use that to commit fraud, deceiving the bank systems to then enable stealing. Some might says you did steal the password, because you made it unusable for me, but that's a pretty subtle position I'm content with either side of. Perhaps you'd understand better if you consider a physical key - if you take it then I cannot open the lock (with that key at least). If you only copy it, I can still open the lock, so you didn't steal it from me; but the possibility of use allowed you to deny me the use of whatever the lock protects. Not so with most copyright works. If you copy my music I can still listen to my copy as often a I like. Maybe you understand the distinction now?
- 23B1 2y agoI would use the term property theft, because I would have the exact same reaction to someone stealing my wages, my stuff, or my time.
- throw10920 2y agoI agree that it's the exact same evil, I just wouldn't use "property theft" either to describe those things - for instance, in the case of wages, I think most people would use "wage theft" instead.
- 23B1 2y agoHN pedantry always amplifies the conversation
- Fnoord 2y agoAs long as you use accurate terms (ie. the right terminology) there wouldn't be such pedantry needed. You intentionally mudify the discussion by using the term property theft for non-phyisical intellectual property (which can even be shortened to IP), or preferably: copyright infringement (I stick to the term IP in this post but prefer the term copyright infringement). Different laws apply for IP compared to (physical) property. Including laws of physics. Consider the following thought experiment: try kicking your license of Microsoft Windows compared to kicking the window in your kitchen. Does your license to Microsoft Windows still work? Great. Does your kitchen window still work? Try harder, it won't last. But your Microsoft Windows license is invulnerable to physical kicking. Besides, you have a copy of it on your smartphone as you photographed it in case of you physically losing it.
- 23B1 2y agoNo, it's property theft.