Clicky Poll: Do you steal stuff online?

SassyPanties · January 2011

Just curious...I know there are a lot of people that still download movies, songs, software, steal images, or whatever other IP they want to online and I'm wondering how many still do this. I know when the internet first became widespread, back in the late 90's, I used to think nothing of sharing music and downloading software online. [Poll]

IrishBrideND · January 2011

I am saddened that currently 2/3 of the voters think its not wrong. I wonder how on earth people justify it as not being wrong?

SassyPanties · January 2011

IrishBrideND:
I am saddened that currently 2/3 of the voters think its not wrong. I wonder how on earth people justify it as not being wrong?

I

remember in my college ethics class in 2002 this was a big debate. A lot of people thought that once something was digital, it should be free because it didn't cost anything anymore for the companies to manufacture. I'm not putting an opinion out there either way...don't want to skew the poll!

pleasebeonsale · January 2011

I think it's wrong and I don't do it.... but if I were to (in some crazy universe), I would frankly be way more afraid of getting a virus then getting caught.

IrishBrideND · January 2011

Sassy_Panties:

IrishBrideND:
I am saddened that currently 2/3 of the voters think its not wrong. I wonder how on earth people justify it as not being wrong?
I
remember in my college ethics class in 2002 this was a big debate. A lot of people thought that once something was digital, it should be free because it didn't cost anything anymore for the companies to manufacture. I'm not putting an opinion out there either way...don't want to skew the poll!

oh I remember the debates back then, too. In fact, I used to think it was ok when napster first started. But I would think most people would know by now that it is considered stealing and that its not ok.

Sawyerplus1 · January 2011

I guess I kind of feel indifferent to it, but I don't do it because I don't know how. If I did know how, I still don't know if I'd do it.

MexiCali · January 2011

Sassy_Panties:

IrishBrideND:
I am saddened that currently 2/3 of the voters think its not wrong. I wonder how on earth people justify it as not being wrong?
I
remember in my college ethics class in 2002 this was a big debate. A lot of people thought that once something was digital, it should be free because it didn't cost anything anymore for the companies to manufacture. I'm not putting an opinion out there either way...don't want to skew the poll!

Most of it is digitalized illegally though. It's just like accepting stolen goods which is illegal.

OTOH, I'm horrible and I just watched "Easy A' on the internet. It's convenient, I can watch Z and I don't have to get out of my PJ's. I did feel bad when I went to Target and saw that it was already out on DVD. I thought it just was on film.

RedWingsFan · January 2011

Nope. I feel the same way about downloading (for free) music/videos/movies as I do about knock-off bags/clothes/etc - I think it's terrible. It's a violation of the owner's IP rights (be it copyright or trademark).

At my old firm, I used to handle trademark infringement suits for a large outdoor footwear company, and you'd be amazed how many fakes there are out there, how "real" they look, and how many of the infringers/counterfeiters didn't think they were doing anything wrong.

alltwistedup · January 2011

I am mixed about if it's considered stealing or not... but I do not do it AT ALL. My husband is a musician and respect him and his friends hard work. The reason I don't know how I feel is because to me it's the same as borrowing a movie or a cd.

Boizmom · January 2011

I think it's wrong and I won't do it. I'm not so much afraid of getting caught as I am of getting a virus and my computer getting screwed up. Free music or movies just aren't worth it to me.

I know plenty of people who their entire movie and/or music library was illegally downloaded off the internet. One of them tries to give us copies all the time. Frankly, the quality is terrible, I'd rather pay to have good quality.

Temp36641187503164 · January 2011

I voted SS. I don't DL movies, music, etc...but sometimes I "steal" images that I use to make invites, etc. They are only for personal use.

RedWingsFan · January 2011

Alltwistedup:
I am mixed about if it's considered stealing or not... but I do not do it AT ALL. My husband is a musician and respect him and his friends hard work. The reason I don't know how I feel is because to me it's the same as borrowing a movie or a cd.

It's definitely stealing.

The difference between borrowing a movie or CD is that you are not copying the movie/CD. Only the copyrighted artist/author has the right to distribute copies or provide permission for others to distribute copies.

RadicalDreamer143 · January 2011

I think it's wrong, but I think the crap that iTunes pulls with their music is just as wrong. Still glad I bought a Zune instead of succumbing to what was trendy (not to mention the Zune still works wonderfully, not a scratch, no protective case, and it's what, five years old?).

I don't think there's anyone my age who doesn't have an illegal music library though. Music was not sold as a digital format when I was in college, so people ripped mp3s from their CDs and distributed it - napster, bearshare, etc.

lite-bright · January 2011

What about the stock/generic images that people put in their sigs for, say, the NY resolution siggy challenge? Or LOLcats/funny captioned pics or graphics? Or celeb pics that have been posted on blogs?

If you put up those things and you haven't made them yourself or asked permission, is it stealing or does it fall under fair use? Is it only stealing if they're on a page that is copyrighted? I've never been quite sure about that.

I think the only time I put a picture in my sig that wasn't one of my own (or a pro pic I had permission to use as I pleased) was when I had a badger there for awhile that I found through a google image search. So yes, I guess I'm guilty.

As a matter of course, or downloading music/movies that I haven't paid for? Nope, never. Although I did take one of my Harry Potter DVDs and use a free program to convert it to play on my ipod. Which I'm sure Warner Bros. wouldn't like b/c it was an unauthorized reproduction, even though I paid for my DVD.

BBachmann · January 2011

I used to download music off of Limewire all the time. Until I downloaded a virus (Oooops). I thought it was wrong so I would set my settings to not share the files. I'm selfish like that.

grapeape73 · January 2011

I don't own it if I didn't pay for it. I'm always surprised by the number of people who don't consider it stealing. I get a small amount of $ from music that I wrote years ago. When people don't pay for that particular piece of music, I don't get paid for my work. It is as simple as that.

simplejude · January 2011

One of my friends works at a movie store, and gets free rentals (like 2 a day). He burns all of them. He has thousands of movies. I get or borrow movies from him when I want to see one. I guess that is stealing, and its wrong, but I guess I dont feel like I'm hurting anyone by doing it.

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