Piracy as Protest- You're Doing it Wrong

[Phlakes]

NOTE: There's an obvious target audience for this thread, I hope the title implies it well enough. Really. There's no way it doesn't.

Anyway, yes, if you pirate games to protest DRM or other corporate practices you disagree with, you're doing it wrong. In fact, chances are you're just making it all worse.

This is an excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail-

One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

Now, yes, that was written in the 60s over a different issue, but it's about the principle. He's absolutely right. When you break an unjust law because you can, that just looks childish, like an eight year old breaking his parents' rules when he's out with friends. When you break a law out of moral obligation, and accept the consequences out of moral obligation, that's meaningful protest.

But it actually gets simpler than that in this case. Think from a developer/publisher's perspective. When you pirate a game, you hurt them and benefit from it (from the piracy, not from hurting them, unless you're into that sort of thing). And really, if someone robs your house, what would you do? Put in a security system. That's DRM right there. And if someone keeps robbing your house, you get better security until you can keep them out.

Using piracy to protest DRM is impressively misguided. Piracy started a fire, and you're spraying gasoline into it expecting it to go away.

"But Phlakes!" you say. "It's like boycotting. We're depriving them of sales to send a message." Yes, but do you know what message you're sending? That they need to improve their security. You don't give a robber your jewelry to keep him out of your house. So what should you be doing? Well, actually boycotting would definitely be a good start.

Again, think from the other perspective. Let's say (and I have no idea what's accurate here, pulling numbers out of my ass) 500000 people don't buy a game out of protest, and either 1) they pirate it, or 2) they boycott it.

1) Your game just got pirated by 500000 people. You don't for a second think about what they want, you think about protecting your shit. You put more effective DRM to try to cut down on the amount of people pirating the game.

2) 500000 people just didn't buy your game because they don't like your DRM. You think "alright, I'd really like to have those sales back", but of course, you can't make people buy your game.

The difference is incredibly obvious. If you want real change, you can't force them into it through aggression. They're a business, so they do what's good for business, and maximizing sales is good for business. If people pirate their game, they maximize sales by trying to prevent piracy. If people boycott the game, they maximize sales by trying to get those people back, and that's how you get change.

By pirating, you become a thorn in their side. And you know what they do with thorns? They try to pull them out, and keep on going. Even if enough thorns get stuck in them, they may stop for a while, but once they can walk again they keep on walking. So don't be a thorn. Be a wall, right in front of them, and give them no choice but to change direction. Or walk into a wall, I guess. So the next time you consider pirating a game because you don't like something the publisher is doing, don't pirate it. And don't buy it. Show that you're willing to deprive yourself of the game to incite change, because that's protest, and that'll get you results.

Also, please keep moral debates out of this thread. This is about protest, not piracy itself.

 

[Erttheking]

You've got a good point, piracy is for people that want to boycott but don't have the balls to go without their precious product.

 

[Epona]

If you refuse to buy a game, then you have made your protest. Pirating it or not doesn't make any difference because the idea was to not give money to the publisher/developer.

Publishers are going to make up piracy numbers whether you pirate or not so again, it doesn't matter.

BTW, it also doesn't matter what message you are sending, it matters what message they want to hear and if they want justification to do something...you're the scapegoat. You can scream all over the internet that you are pirating Spore to protest it's DRM but the publishers won't listen to that reason because it doesn't suit them.

 

[ResonanceGames]

People who pirate a DRM-laden game in protest are unbelievably stupid, but I think that's a pretty small number. I would be money that most people who say they're pirating something to stick it to the man would have pirated it anyway.

Now, as for people who download "illegal" cracks to make the game they paid for work, because the DRM malfunctioned, those guys I can sympathize with.

 

[krazykidd]

You've got a good point, piracy is for people that want to boycott but don't have the balls to go without their precious product.

I disagree , piracy are for people who are cheap . Op makes good points , but that won't convice anyone . I sorta agree with what ubisoft is doing. I kind of encourage it ,i mean i don't like the always online stuff , but it is a valiant effort on their part . I just hope they find a way that works AND keeps pirates at bay , i am sick and tired of hearing about pirates and their shenanigans.

 

[Wolfram23]

I agree with what the OP said, if someone was trying to excuse their piracy with "it's to boycott their DRM". The problem, of course, is that probably most people don't really care about the DRM, they just want free shit.

That said, of course as piracy goes up so does the incentive to use DRM.

 

[Phlakes]

If you refuse to buy a game, then you have made your protest. Pirating it or not doesn't make any difference because the idea was to not give money to the publisher/developer.

Publishers are going to make up piracy numbers whether you pirate or not so again, it doesn't matter.

BTW, it also doesn't matter what message you are sending, it matters what message they want to hear and if they want justification to do something...you're the scapegoat. You can scream all over the internet that you are pirating Spore to protest it's DRM but the publishers won't listen to that reason because it doesn't suit them.

If you want change, the message you send definitely matters. That's what boycotting is for, if they see that they're losing a notable amount of sales that they can get back by changing something, chances are it'll be changed. The problem is that gamers are some of the flakiest, balls-not-havingest people in the world, so it's almost impossible to organize.

 

[Vault101]

heres ONE thing I dont agree with

"pfffftt yeah well mabye if they made a game WORTH paying for I would pirate"

yeah, why dont you just fucking NOT pirate it if you dont think its worth paying for...thats pure self entitlement

 

[ResonanceSD]

1) There will always be pirates

2) removing DRM removes any justification people might have to pirate

3) Step 1 happens again, because there will ALWAYS be pirates

--> Companies see no benefit in removing DRM.

 

[Epona]

If you refuse to buy a game, then you have made your protest. Pirating it or not doesn't make any difference because the idea was to not give money to the publisher/developer.

Publishers are going to make up piracy numbers whether you pirate or not so again, it doesn't matter.

BTW, it also doesn't matter what message you are sending, it matters what message they want to hear and if they want justification to do something...you're the scapegoat. You can scream all over the internet that you are pirating Spore to protest it's DRM but the publishers won't listen to that reason because it doesn't suit them.

If you want change, the message you send definitely matters. That's what boycotting is for, if they see that they're losing a notable amount of sales that they can get back by changing something, chances are it'll be changed. The problem is that gamers are some of the flakiest, balls-not-havingest people in the world, so it's almost impossible to organize.

Whatever. I grow so tired of the insults gamers throw at each other and themselves. It's funny that you miss the message that gamers send but I guess that makes you living proof of my point. It doesn't matter what message you send because the publishers are only going to hear what they want to hear.

People boycotted and pirated Spore and they made it clear why on Amazon reviews. EA most certainly saw the message but ignored it because that's not the message they want to hear.

You also have to realize that DRM is not about stopping piracy, it's about publishers being able to gain control of a product, even after they have sold it. So you go on creating "pirates are bad" threads till your fingers fall off but it won't change anything because you are barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Vegosiux]

You "boycott the DRM" by buying the game then cracking it I suppose.

Also, DRM is not always the product of the publisher I suppose, so there are third parties interested in keeping it in...

 

[Antari]

Oh this thread again? ... Really? Is the search bar broken? It was working the last time I checked. I'm fairly sure you know how to use it phlakes. Isn't it interesting you've set it up so that anyone with a direct opposite opinion would have to violate forum rules to express it. They have a word for that.

 

[Lucem712]

I think we're all missing the point, (some) people are just giving excuses to pirate, if it isn't DRM; it'll be a company's policies or PR, or someone involved with the company.

I mean, you can tell people something is wrong until the sun goes down and comes up again, but regardless of that if someone wants to get game and don't wanna drop the change, it'll always be this way. Unless you make everything FOSS or something (not that's really a lucrative option)

 

[Epona]

I think we're all missing the point, (some) people are just giving excuses to pirate, if it isn't DRM; it'll be a company's policies or PR, or someone involved with the company.

I mean, you can tell people something is wrong until the sun goes down and comes up again, but regardless of that if someone wants to get game and don't wanna drop the change, it'll always be this way. Unless you make everything FOSS or something (not that's really a lucrative option)

...are you going to present the other side of the argument?

I am guessing you aren't so allow me. DRM isn't about stopping piracy, it's about gaining control over software even after it's bought (because that's how they make more money). Therefore, people are giving publishers an excuse for DRM. Even without piracy, publishers don't like fair use. They want every person who plays a game to pay for it and full price. They don't want you sharing with friends or even your own children.

 

[Lucem712]

I think we're all missing the point, (some) people are just giving excuses to pirate, if it isn't DRM; it'll be a company's policies or PR, or someone involved with the company.

I mean, you can tell people something is wrong until the sun goes down and comes up again, but regardless of that if someone wants to get game and don't wanna drop the change, it'll always be this way. Unless you make everything FOSS or something (not that's really a lucrative option)

...are you going to present the other side of the argument?

I am guessing you aren't so allow me. DRM isn't about stopping piracy, it's about gaining control over software even after it's bought (because that's how they make more money). Therefore, people are giving publishers an excuse for DRM. Even without piracy, publishers don't like fair use. They want every person who plays a game to pay for it and full price. They don't want you sharing with friends or even your own children.

Oh, I'm not against DRM (I'm not even a PC gamer, or much of one rather) and I think companies are allowed to protect their investments/products. I was just saying that people aren't using piracy as a form of protest, they are just using it as an excuse to do said activity.

 

[Epona]

I think we're all missing the point, (some) people are just giving excuses to pirate, if it isn't DRM; it'll be a company's policies or PR, or someone involved with the company.

I mean, you can tell people something is wrong until the sun goes down and comes up again, but regardless of that if someone wants to get game and don't wanna drop the change, it'll always be this way. Unless you make everything FOSS or something (not that's really a lucrative option)

...are you going to present the other side of the argument?

I am guessing you aren't so allow me. DRM isn't about stopping piracy, it's about gaining control over software even after it's bought (because that's how they make more money). Therefore, people are giving publishers an excuse for DRM. Even without piracy, publishers don't like fair use. They want every person who plays a game to pay for it and full price. They don't want you sharing with friends or even your own children.

Oh, I'm not against DRM (I'm not even a PC gamer, or much of one rather) and I think companies are allowed to protect their investments/products. I was just saying that people aren't using piracy as a form of protest, they are just using it as an excuse to do said activity.

There are limits to protecting your product, eliminating fair use goes beyond that limit in my opinion. Anyway, how would you know why pirates do what they do? Are you a pirate or are you just guessing here?

Please don't tell me about how all 99999 of your friends are pirates.

 

[Lucem712]

There are limits to protecting your product, eliminating fair use goes beyond that limit in my opinion. Anyway, how would you know why pirates do what they do? Are you a pirate or are you just guessing here?

Please don't tell me about how all 99999 of your friends are pirates.

I'm not a pirate and I'm just going off human nature, some people are just looking for justifications of their actions. I want to do this, it's wrong, but this person is a dick so they deserve it.

Just like a comment I saw on Youtube (on ME3 DLC's and such) explaining how they were going to protest EA/Bioware by pirating and getting all DLCs. This person would probably pirate regardless of what EA does or does not do, they want it for free and are justifying it.

Not to say all pirates justify their actions and not to say some people don't actually consider it a way to protest.

I'm not aware if any of my mates pirate but I discouraged a mate from pirating Skyrim.

 

[Epona]

There are limits to protecting your product, eliminating fair use goes beyond that limit in my opinion. Anyway, how would you know why pirates do what they do? Are you a pirate or are you just guessing here?

Please don't tell me about how all 99999 of your friends are pirates.

I'm not a pirate and I'm just going off human nature, some people are just looking for justifications of their actions. I want to do this, it's wrong, but this person is a dick so they deserve it.

Just like a comment I saw on Youtube (on ME3 DLC's and such) explaining how they were going to protest EA/Bioware by pirating and getting all DLCs. This person would probably pirate regardless of what EA does or does not do, they want it for free and are justifying it.

Not to say all pirates justify their actions and not to say some people don't actually consider it a way to protest.

I'm not aware if any of my mates pirate but I discouraged a mate from pirating Skyrim.

There is only one condition to boycott, DON'T BUY IT! Anything else doesn't matter.

DRM isn't for the pirates, it's for YOU.

 

[StriderShinryu]

This topic speaks the truth. The only viable way to boycott something is to actually, you know, boycott it. Pirating or buying used only does two things, neither of them what you want. First, it shows the game companies that you want their product so bad that you are willing to do whatever it takes to get it (including, in the case of piracy, something that is illegal in many places). Second, it just encourages them to find ways to get around the problem like, as the topic says, putting in DRM or as in the case of used games finding any way possible to squash the used market.

If you really want to prove a point to the game companies, whatever your point may be, the only way to do so is to show them that your chosen issue is so important that it is actually stopping you from even playing Game X at all.

 

[Lucem712]

There are limits to protecting your product, eliminating fair use goes beyond that limit in my opinion. Anyway, how would you know why pirates do what they do? Are you a pirate or are you just guessing here?

Please don't tell me about how all 99999 of your friends are pirates.

I'm not a pirate and I'm just going off human nature, some people are just looking for justifications of their actions. I want to do this, it's wrong, but this person is a dick so they deserve it.

Just like a comment I saw on Youtube (on ME3 DLC's and such) explaining how they were going to protest EA/Bioware by pirating and getting all DLCs. This person would probably pirate regardless of what EA does or does not do, they want it for free and are justifying it.

Not to say all pirates justify their actions and not to say some people don't actually consider it a way to protest.

I'm not aware if any of my mates pirate but I discouraged a mate from pirating Skyrim.

There is only one condition to boycott, DON'T BUY IT! Anything else doesn't matter.

DRM isn't for the pirates, it's for YOU.

I agree that people should actually protest by not buying the game or service and the only way companies will see that their DRM has gone too far (like if you have a problem with Origins or always-online DRM) is to not purchase the game and maybe even shoot them an e-mail (they might not even care but if they get enough, they might get a hint) saying that you wanted to purchase a game/service but don't agree with their DRM policies.

All piracy does is give said company even more excuse to implement more drastic measures.