KOs worth it?

[GoktimusPrime]

Still legally and ethically wrong. Regardless. I hate to break it to you, but just because something exists, doesn't mean you're entitled to have it.

I never said otherwise. I was speaking about ethics, not legality. Legal issues are clear cut black and white, either something is right (lawful) or wrong (unlawful). Ethics and morality are different issues with varying "shades of grey." I never said that downloading content was "right", but I said that I see it as a "different evil" from KOs.

It comes back to the argument that just because something exists or has existed somewhere, doesn't mean its your right to access it and get it whenever you want. The sense of entitlement (across society, and please, I want to be clear that I'm not targeting you personally) across society is f***ing disgusting these days. The "I want my Transformers episode now!" mentality is fine, but you didn't make it, you haven't accessed it through the channels that it has been released (because it isnt available to you, through no fault of your own), and you aren't entitled to it.

I'd be willing to be more patient if it weren't for inconsiderate US fans who feel the urge to throw spoilers about the place without warning. As I said, during Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Car Robot etc., I patiently waited for friends to tape the eps off TV and send it to me. I was able to avoid spoilers because modern social media outlets as we know them today didn't exist then. Even Hasbro themselves released a spoiler about the end of TF Prime Season 3 with news about an upcoming toy (with a spoilerish gimmick) that they posted on social media.

While personal use is (generally considered) acceptable by licence holders, there's a difference between a mate taping a show and shipping it to you (or the modern equivalent of him/her recording the show, capturing it, encoding it, uploading it, and sending you and only you a direct link to their personal website hosting it), and someone capturing a show and uploading it for all and sundry to take what they want.

As I said, I was UNAWARE that anyone was making any money from sharing content. I thought it was a free service by fans for fans. But if what you guys are saying about that is true, then I shall reconsider my options and perhaps go back to having mates directly send me recordings (thus it's completely not-for-profit).

As I said, it would be hypocritical for me to complain about piracy, but the blasé attitude some people show towards it isn't something that should be tolerated by default just because someone doesn't know how it affects people/industry.

I don't think that I "tolerate it by default" at all. I have openly criticised people to their faces about what I consider "unethical download practice" (e.g. downloading content that IS already commercially available here because they can't be bothered paying for it, or downloading it before release and then not purchasing it later etc.).

Put it this way. If a new show plays and only one person watches it, but they pirate it and everyone else watches the pirated copy, the following happens;

- the network can't sell ads, so they can't make more episodes, they also lose the investment they made in the initial episode(s).
- the hosting company that is hosting the pirated file makes money off advertising.

Explain how this is fair?

In principle I agree with what you're saying, but I think with Transformers the majority of the audience are younger kids whom I imagine would be less likely to download the content and more likely to watch it when it airs on local television. But we live in a world now where fans around the world are connected via the internet and modern communication networks. Popular shows that air in one country will very quickly be discussed by other fans globally. The BBC has recognised this w/ Dr Who, hence simulcasting it here, the rerunning it and making it available to view (but not download) on ABC2's site. Other shows do Fast-Tracking, allowing audiences here to view it only a few hours after it's aired overseas. I think this is a more pro-active way of addressing the issue, rather than simply chasing violators which is a reactive response. I'm NOT attempting to justifying illegit downloading here, but crime prevention is better than "cure" (i.e. crime response).

If it's available on Hulu or Netflix, get a VPN, pay for Hulu or Netflix, and at least you're ethically in the clear, even if you're technically going against the terms of service because of geography. At least the money is going to the people it should be going to.

Okay... that was like reading a foreign language. (no offence to you, as I said, I'm extremely noob and ignorant about downloading ).

Otherwise, don't try to justify behaviour under a cloud of ethics and legality when it's wrong on both counts.

We really shouldn't be confusing ethics and legality here -- that's like mixing oil and water. With the law, you're demonstrating whether or not something conforms with set laws or not, but ethics and morality are based on subjective personal values -- so what's "right" or "wrong" depends greatly on our own personal set of values (re: ethical/moral subjectivism vs objectivism).

Alternatively, accept that what you do is wrong (though hardly a blight on society) and come to terms with the fact that you're (like pretty much everyone in some manner) a flawed human being. :P We have club cards, lanyards and everything. :P

Yes, I've said that in my previous posts. But I also said that I don't feel that it's the same "sin" as KOs. And sure, this is just based on my own personal subjective opinion, as are everyone's personal values. I'm NOT at all pretending to be presenting solid facts!

Downloading content w/o express permission is unlawful <--- fact
Such behaviour is "right" or "wrong"? <--- matter of opinion

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At any rate, none of us can change the past, all we can do is try and improve our behaviour in the future. So as I said, I will be reconsidering my options for accessing future TF content and try to find hopefully more ethically acceptable methods. I think there's a significant difference in unknowingly/unwittingly doing something that's ethically dubious as opposed to continuing to do so with full knowledge.