(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); There has been a lot going on around the internet lately where certain websites are being blocked by court orders, like newsbin2, and certain acts trying to be pushed through congress like SOPA, PIPA and in the EU ACTA, but what does all this have in common? Piracy, specifically music and film piracy.

In my personal opinion, I think the only thing driving this is greed from the music labels and film companies, it's nothing to do with the artists. When you buy a song off iTunes for 79p, where does that break down? 55% goes to the record label, 30% goes to Apple and the rest? It's shared between everyone else who made the record.* How is it possible to support your favourite artist through record sales when they get around 10% of the money? All their money comes from going on tour. Now the courts in the UK have ordered that the top 5 ISPs in the UK have to block ThePirateBay (Virgin, BT, Everything Everywhere, Sky and TalkTalk). Has it really got the point where record labels are governing the internet?

I admit that I have pirated music in the past; both because I have lost CDs that I bought a while ago, and because I just didn't want to pay for it, but on the other side, I have a large collection of CDs, most of which I have lost, and I bought a song for £1 off an artist via donation, I didn't have to pay for the song, but I knew that what money I donated would go to directly to him... and then onto charity, as he wasn't taking any of the profits.

I just can't help but think that if the record companies stopped shelling out these billions on lawsuits, maybe they could use it to make buying music more attractive to people. If that 55% that goes to the record company gets broken down to 40% record company and 15% charity, I know for a fact I would increase the amount of music I buy, but instead they use it to bitch and whine to the courts to get websites shut down and to dictate the internet.

If you haven't already seen the You must login or register to view this content., I strongly suggest that you view it.

If you look more towards game companies, they just seem to put up with it or give an actual incentive to buy the game. Some put in very strict DRM, which music actually used to use, but a lot of indie developers give incentive, and for those who pirate, they just ignore them. I recall a twitter conversation a while back where someone asked Notch whether he could have a free account before he pirated it, and Notch replied something along the lines of "Just go ahead and pirate it, just don't forget to feel bad".

So there is my long rant. Feel free to agree/disagree back it up/rip it apart or whatever, just don't start flaming, I don't want that. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and it isn't wrong (unless you are using bullshit facts like I may have :p).


*Not official figures, just guesses from recent Justin Bieber numbers I've seen.
These views are heavily biased and do not represent those of NextGenUpdate or its members, just one single user who is annoyed with the way the internet is dictated by the highest bidder.

This is exactly what I have been saying this entire time. Honestly, the whole Piracy is theft shit is stupid. They must be looking in a different dictionary than I am.

I'd say if 40% went to the company, 40% to artist and 20% to other then I would buy more because I would be supporting my favorite bands but when they get almost nothing, I don't feel like I really am supporting them.

Agreed, nice video too :y:
It's bullshit how they rip off artist's and claim that so much "damage" is done by getting music or movies.

There's so many people who actually go buy these things that I think there shouldn't even be a difference whether you buy an album or download/share it on the Internet.

Unless someone is not up on the news, I cannot truly see how anyone could disagree. The artists do not get much in the way of revenue from the sales of the cds, just the companies. The request to block sites, and fight piracy is just more propaganda the record labels use to keep getting richer. I would be more than happy to buy the songs, if it was going to the actual artist or band. Piracy isn't killing the music or movies, the respective company greed is.