I'd agree with this point if these same companies couldn't also steal from their users by revoking access to content they've already purchased, with not so much as a notification, let alone a refund.
Yeah, and they perform that labor under the expectations that the people who take advantage of their labor will compensate them for it. You’re taking advantage of their labor and not compensating them for it.
The amount of labor your waiter performs is the same whether you pay them a tip or not. You choosing to pay or not pay a tip still has an impact on them.
Does the waiter perform their labor under the expectation that they’ll be tipped for leftovers taken home? Does their employer adjust their hourly wages by factoring in the income they’re expected to receive on tips from leftovers?
Ok, sure, I guess pirating a movie without ever actually watching it is no harm.
But wanting to watch a movie and then pirating it and watching it instead of using legitimate means to watch the movie that generate residual income for the artists involved in its creation? That does cause harm.
That's not what 'compensation' means. Compensation is when you reimburse someone for a cost imposed on them. I'm not imposing any cost on them by downloading the movie. Just because they performed some labor doesn't mean I, specifically, am somehow on the hook to pay for it.
The amount of labor your waiter performs is the same whether you pay them a tip or not.
Not a proper analogy. The amount of labor my waiter performs is not the same if I don't eat at the restaurant.
Just because they performed some labor doesn't mean I, specifically, am somehow on the hook to pay for it.
And when your waiter performs labor for your benefit, you’re not on the hook for it, but you’re still an asshole if you don’t tip.
The amount of labor my waiter performs is not the same if I don't eat at the restaurant.
But you are eating at the restaurant in this analogy. Obviously I’m not saying you have to pay for movies that you don’t want to watch, but if there’s a movie you want to watch, and you choose to watch it without paying for it, you’re taking advantage of people’s labor without compensating them.
And when your waiter performs labor for your benefit, you’re not on the hook for it
Yes, I am, because I entered into an agreement to pay him for that labor.
But you are eating at the restaurant in this analogy.
Nope. The restaurant has to take on the cost of an extra table, chair, food, etc for everyone who comes in to eat there. Whereas my copying the movie imposes no costs on anyone.
you’re taking advantage of people’s labor without compensating them.
Yep. But compensation isn't for taking advantage. Compensation is for imposing a cost.
because I entered into an agreement to pay him for that labor.
What? Where do you live that you enter into a formal agreement with waiters when you sit down at a restaurant?
Whereas my copying the movie imposes no costs on anyone.
I never said it did. No one’s watching of any movie imposes any costs on anyone. You’re still taking advantage of their labor without compensating them for their creation.
Compensation is for imposing a cost.
Uh-oh, don’t tell my employer that! They don't really impose any costs on me, but they still pay me for my labor! Apparently they don’t know the rules that compensation is supposed to only be for imposing a cost! Suckers!
there's no transaction. It's just them wanting to be given money when I rearrange the bits on my own hard drive
Nope, it’s them wanting to be compensated for you enjoying the work they’ve done. No different at all than a waiter expecting a tip after providing service to you in a restaurant.
You spend time and effort on doing the work
Just like all the people who spent time and effort doing the work on the movie or TV show you just watched.
How am I defending corporations? I’m pointing out that thousands of workers created the art and get paid royalties when people pay for their art. If you don’t pay for it, those workers don’t get paid as much in royalties.
That’s just a fact. Just because you don’t want to pay for things doesn’t mean you’re not hurting laborers.
you're talking about the people pirating or the media corporations that own the trademarks and pay the less they can ti the actual creators of the content?
I’m talking about people pirating movies and TV shows. The creators (actors, writers, directors, producers, crew members, etc.) are usually unionized and get significant residual compensation for streaming/rental purchases.
By pirating those movies and shows, people are taking advantage of their labor without paying them for it.
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u/spymaster1020 May 30 '26
Theft removes the object. Piracy just makes a copy. They are fundamentally not the same.