The Setbacks of Piracy
Piracy refers to the unauthorized duplication of copyrighted content that is then sold at substantially lower prices in the 'grey' market. The ease of access to technology has meant that over the years, piracy has become more rampant. For example, CD writers are available off the shelf at very low prices, making music piracy a simple affair. Piracy is done in many ways like video piracy, cable piracy, and DVD/CD piracy. Video piracy takes place when a film is produced in the form of a videocassette without proper authorization from the right holder i.e. the producer. Often, film producers sell video rights to another party (generally after six weeks or more of release in theaters), which makes video cassettes for selling, or lending (The Economic Times). Piracy has both advantages and disadvantages in society. The advantage or main benefits include pirated software is easy to acquire and easy to find, whether online or sold by vendors like pirated cd’s. In fact, in many cases, it is easier for someone to go online and download an illegal copy of a software program than to drive to a store and buy it from a retailer. And the disadvantage is that of course it is illegal to steal some copies of music or movies you don't own. Also it is risky, pirated software is more likely to be infected with serious computer viruses, which can damage the user's computer system. Those people who tend to make piracy copies have consequences. The RA 8293 of the Philippines state that this act shall be known as the “Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.” The use of intellectual property bears a social function. To this end, the State shall promote the diffusion of knowledge and information for the promotion of national development and progress and the common good.
People are worried about the piracy itself but the rate of increase is the real problem. Piracy eats the world’s economy. Isn’t it? Pirating is a serious legal issue that people don’t necessarily know is illegal. Most of us Filipinos are engaging in piracy nowadays because of poverty it becomes some bodies business by selling Cd’s just to invest like our neighborhood Chinese. We Filipinos or everybody in this world knew that piracy is a federal crime and it’s risky too. It is subjected by law because more likely to be infected with serious computer viruses, which can damage the user's computer system. It may setback a lot of reasons. Most of us are breaking the law and are at risk of being caught and charged with copyright infringement because for us it is the best way to do especially in terms of copying anything from the internet. The punishment for piracy should scare anyone away from it. So from now on, we educate ourselves to be more vigilant in all reasons especially in this serious matter. Piracy is a big problem in businesses, because piracy is just like a theft. Example of piracy is film piracy, they stealing the film without any permission to the owner and spreading it to someone else. For that reason they will watch it for free, and the business owner will be bankrupt. Piracy is stealing someone else's intellectual property, if you download a illegal file you have a risk in spyware or viruses in your software. Don’t pirate, don’t download an illegal file or software and do not buy pirated compact disc.