The Ethics of Book Pirating

Susan Connolly

October 25, 2011

https://www.digitalethics.org/essays/ethics-book-pirating

"The Online Library, Yo-ho-ho"

First Impression:

Media piracy is very well-known to the online world nowadays; after all, who couldn't resist rare books and music files offered for free? It has been quite the conundrum for quite some time, and frankly, I think if people who are involved in making media to be bought online should at least give a more elegant solution to stop online media piracy once and for all.

Quote: 

"Libraries are also a wonderful support system for authors, often giving so much back in terms of arranged readings, coordinating school visits, facilitating book clubs etc. etc. They are a genuine source of word of mouth recommendation and a wonderful resource. I am a huge supporter of the library system."

Reflection Proper:

In every opinion-related article I know, or rather as I have known throughout the years of Internet, watching videos with anti-piracy ads and what not, there is still the ongoing issue of media piracy in mind, but mostly it's concentrated on film, music and television. According to the essay, "book piracy" is an overlooked side of media piracy --- in this case, the invention of the digital version of books or publications that can be read on any electronic devices with a screen like a computer or a smartphone or "e-books" have just created a new form of media piracy that is more viable than ever: book piracy. This has been a problem for quite some time, and it has quite the number of debates involved, for despite the many differences books have in relation to other media, ethical debates over the subject of book piracy often goes into accordance with certain principles involved in the ethical discussion in music, film, and television piracy, such as debates involving the following topics: the creator's rights involving the distribution of their creations, the practical infringement effects in terms of both potential harms to both producer and consumer alike, and the ever-growing conflict involving consumer demands changing and also changing practices involving established distribution. Personally though, I get the point about these arguments, but as everyone else, I have my own opinions as well involving the morality of book piracy as well upon the creators' rights. As the essay would point out, and I agree it: we still can't, without a certain degree of understanding, come to accurate conclusions about the ethical status of book piracy and any policy considerations resulting from such a thing; I mean book piracy, for one, has many important differences to that of other forms of media, like reading considered to be educational rather than the other forms of media that function primarily as entertainment and the consent of authors or publishers alike. Personally though, I truly believe in the sense that it's absolute nature that creators have the right to control their own works, therefore the failing of morals and responsibility involving using the work falls on the consumer himself. and so I think that publishers should most likely create or adapt certain practices in regards to marketing and distribution networks, while considering the ever-so complicated ways of consumers behaving onto moral beliefs and their practical wants, in order to stop and most possibly end once and for all the nasty effects of an ongoing practice that people may think it's a victimless crime, but frankly, it ain't.

5 Things Learned From Article: 

1. I learned about book piracy being an overlooked area of media piracy.

2. I learned about the different areas involved in debates about media piracy.

3. I learned about the differences of book piracy and piracy involving other forms of media.

4. I learned that while moral considerations when it comes to piracy are relevant, the practical effects should be looked into for they are more important when it comes to creating policy.

5. I learned that creators should control their own works, but the consumer has the responsibility and morals involved when using it.

5 Integrative Questions:

1. Which do you prefer: online reading or offline reading?

2. What's your take on media piracy?

3. Why do people still do media piracy no matter how many warnings or discussions were made about its nasty effects to society

4. What suggestions can you give to the people to stop media piracy?

5. How do you convince people in the online world to be civilized in using media like books or films responsibly and not pirating it?