Even the most casual user of the internet knows that blockbuster movies are freely available online, usually illegally. The attraction for the millions of people who download – ie, steal – this copyrighted material is obvious. But what is the benefit to those who make this material available in the first place?
Last weekend, in the UK, a 25-year-old was jailed for 33 months for uploading a copy of Fast And Furious 6, which was then downloaded 700,000 times, shining a spotlight on a usually hidden subculture of the internet. News reports did not identify why the man had done it, but, across the internet, there is a pervasive belief that information and culture ought to be free. It is, for some, almost a political philosophy, and transcends even their willingness to obey the law.
Not all who upload movies or music do so selflessly. On some sharing sites, rewards are given to those who upload popular content. Others use uploading the latest movie as a way of gaining publicity for their brand, which they then parlay into membership of private sharing sites, or to different websites with advertising.
Of course even those not motivated by money but genuine idealism are doing something wrong. Downloading copyrighted material is not illegal everywhere, but it does always deprive artists of being paid for their work.
