Shutting Down Pirate Sites Is Ineffective, European Commission Finds - Polidicks

[quote]Shutting down pirate websites such as The Pirate Bay is high on the agenda of the entertainment industries. However, according to research published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, these raids are relatively ineffective and potentially counterproductive. A few years ago Europe witnessed the largest piracy-related busts in history with the raid of the popular movie streaming portal Kino.to. Police officers in Germany, Spain, France and the Netherlands raided several residential addresses, data centers and arrested more than a dozen individuals connected to the site. The operation wiped out the largest unauthorized streaming portal in Europe and was praised as a massive success. However, new research from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre shows that the effect on end users was short-lived and relatively limited. One of the main conclusions is that the kino.to raid led to a short-lived decrease in piracy, after which piracy levels returned to normal. At the same time, the researchers observed only a small increase in the use of legal services. “While users of kino.to decreased their levels of piracy consumption by 30% during the four weeks following the intervention, their consumption through licensed movie platforms increased by only 2.5%,” the paper reads. Based on the above the researchers conclude that if the costs of the raids and prosecution are factored in, the shutdown probably had no positive effect.[/quote] [URL="https://torrentfreak.com/shutting-down-pirate-sites-is-ineffective-european-commission-finds-150514/"]Source[/URL] [IMG]https://torrentfreak.com/images/totalp1.png[/IMG]

How cute, they are evolving!

Didn't the internet figure this out ages ago? The only way you effectively combat piracy is you give people a product (or service) they are willing to pay for. If its more convenient to pirate the product/service, then you've more or less failed.

Too bad the shadowey hand of the MPAA isn't going to ever listen and they have an even stronger hold on the US, so we will never get meaningful digital rights reform

Software piracy sites are like the head of a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernaean_Hydra"]hydra[/URL]. Eliminate one and other's will crop up and take its spot.

[QUOTE=Solo Wing;47729724]If its more convenient to pirate the product/service, then you've more or less failed. [/QUOTE] That's kind of a problem when even just entering your credit card info is less convenient than pulling up a torrent, as the number of people torrenting Netflix shows attests. With games you can offer easy installation and updates, plus multiplayer, as incentives for people to buy your game, and then use DRM platforms like Steam to make the piracy alternative inconvenient. What can the film/TV industry offer that beats a completely free version of the same exact product?

[QUOTE=Sableye;47729733]Too bad the shadowey hand of the MPAA isn't going to ever listen and they have an even stronger hold on the US, so we will never get meaningful digital rights reform[/QUOTE] Then the MPAA will continue to face rampant piracy. And each act to stop it will be more futile than the last.

[QUOTE=catbarf;47729776]That's kind of a problem when even just entering your credit card info is less convenient than pulling up a torrent, as the number of people torrenting Netflix shows attests. With games you can offer easy installation and updates, plus multiplayer, as incentives for people to buy your game, and then use DRM platforms like Steam to make the piracy alternative inconvenient. What can the film/TV industry offer that beats a completely free version of the same exact product?[/QUOTE] Yeah everyone talks about better services but when I can find a torrent in a matter of seconds I can't think of any other way that can beat this system.

[QUOTE=itisjuly;47729798]Yeah everyone talks about better services but when I can find a torrent in a matter of seconds I can't think of any other way that can beat this system.[/QUOTE] torrents still aren't perfect. if you're looking for something obscure and can only find torrents with one seeder in malaysia you're basically fucked

[QUOTE=itisjuly;47729798]Yeah everyone talks about better services but when I can find a torrent in a matter of seconds I can't think of any other way that can beat this system.[/QUOTE] Just because it doesn't seem like the best idea doesn't mean it shouldn't be tried. At least you can say you tried something. You also have to consider, there are those people out there (you know the ones I mean) who will pirate anything. I can't help but feel not treating your customers like shit would be a great place to start.

[QUOTE=itisjuly;47729798]Yeah everyone talks about better services but when I can find a torrent in a matter of seconds I can't think of any other way that can beat this system.[/QUOTE] Don't know about you but i'd prefer streaming the content and start watching instantly, assuming the quality was at least 1080p for movies and 720p for tv shows.

[QUOTE=Skipcast;47729824]Don't know about you but i'd prefer streaming the content and start watching instantly, assuming the quality was at least 1080p for movies and 720p for tv shows.[/QUOTE] You can already do that with many torrent clients.

Things like Netflix, Spotify and Steam are pretty good for providing a good service to a customer The only issue with tv/film streaming sites is that all the different networks on the usa like to have their own streaming site with blackjack and hookers, so it's not entirely beneficial to the consumer having television and films split across multiple services that have their own individual costs If all HBO, Fox and NBC shows were on Netflix in the UK, you'd reduce piracy quite a bit I think.

[QUOTE=Skipcast;47729824]Don't know about you but i'd prefer streaming the content and start watching instantly, assuming the quality was at least 1080p for movies and 720p for tv shows.[/QUOTE] Forgotten about Popcorn Time? It's a client that does streaming, and has built-in subtitles support and lots of other neat shit to make it as convenient as possible.

[QUOTE=Solo Wing;47729724]Didn't the internet figure this out ages ago? The only way you effectively combat piracy is you give people a product (or service) they are willing to pay for. If its more convenient to pirate the product/service, then you've more or less failed.[/QUOTE] I don't understand how politicians still don't understand this. Take Game of Thrones for example, the only way, literally the only way, for me to watch new episodes of it is to either pay $80 a month on foxtel, or pirate it. It's pretty damn obvious what I'm going to do. No wonder Australia has the highest piracy rate for GoT.

[QUOTE=Skipcast;47729824]Don't know about you but i'd prefer streaming the content and start watching instantly, assuming the quality was at least 1080p for movies and 720p for tv shows.[/QUOTE] if quality was only determined by resolution, and not bitrate and as mentioned many clients support streaming now

[QUOTE=itisjuly;47729798]Yeah everyone talks about better services but when I can find a torrent in a matter of seconds I can't think of any other way that can beat this system.[/QUOTE] Would you name a threshold for quality of legitimate services above which you would stop pirating? Does one exist? If all roads lead to "this isn't good enough, I must pirate" then that's kinda assholeish.

[QUOTE=Zezibesh;47729874]if quality was only determined by resolution, and not bitrate and as mentioned many clients support streaming now[/QUOTE] Such as?

[QUOTE=Zang-Pog;47729921]Wait, you're telling me... If you shut down a site, all pirating doesn't magically stop? [I]What the fuck man?[/I][/QUOTE] I think it's more about the recovery speed than wishful thinking of such an extreme degree.

[QUOTE=Tone Float;47729885]Would you name a threshold for quality of legitimate services above which you would stop pirating? Does one exist?[/QUOTE] That's the point. People keep saying if they just offer a better, more convenient service than piracy, they won't have to worry about piracy. But how do you do that, when piracy is just a few clicks and totally free? The solutions the game industry came up with are specific to gaming as a medium (updates, multiplayer), and the solution the music industry came up with was to abandon selling music as a profit source altogether and turn to things that can't be pirated like concerts and merch. Neither approach seems like a viable solution for film and television. They can fix specific issues like the exploitative pricing in Australia, but I don't see how they can ever offer a more convenient service than piracy. They're caught between a rock and a hard place.

Hollywood needs to stop screaming and scratching like a little brat on the way out. American action cinema needs to die, American cinema in general needs to make a paradigm shift. It's time for some new sub-genres to become big. Also, HBO, Netflix, and other companies built upon a 21st century model of film and television marketing should take over the production of major American films.

[QUOTE=Solo Wing;47729789]Then the MPAA will continue to face rampant piracy. And each act to stop it will be more futile than the last.[/QUOTE] they'll be more draconian than the last. they are in the war-on-drugs mentality, with pilling on more punishment to prevent crime instead of understanding the root cause

[QUOTE=Coffee;47729857]Things like Netflix, Spotify and Steam are pretty good for providing a good service to a customer The only issue with tv/film streaming sites is that all the different networks on the usa like to have their own streaming site with blackjack and hookers, so it's not entirely beneficial to the consumer having television and films split across multiple services that have their own individual costs If all HBO, Fox and NBC shows were on Netflix in the UK, you'd reduce piracy quite a bit I think.[/QUOTE] Yep its all about service, unfortunately I just don't see companies doing it. Take Nintendo for example, I bet they could cut their piracy rate in half overnight if they just let people download their 20 year old or so classics on PC but they won't because they want an excuse to flog a machine that will emulate it.

[QUOTE=Genericenemy;47730041]Yep its all about service, unfortunately I just don't see companies doing it. Take Nintendo for example, I bet they could cut their piracy rate in half overnight if they just let people download their 20 year old or so classics on PC but they won't because they want an excuse to flog a machine that will emulate it.[/QUOTE] So what you're saying is that Nintendo can kill piracy by legalizing piracy

[QUOTE=KillerJaguar;47730076]So what you're saying is that Nintendo can kill piracy by legalizing piracy[/QUOTE] Nope I'm saying that they provide channels to purchase and download games, otherwise people are just going to pirate it because they don't want to buy their latest machine just for that purpose.

The Belgian police sure as hell slowed down piracy by blocking all those torrent websites. It takes me an extra 5 whole seconds to find what I'm looking for.

[QUOTE=catbarf;47729987]That's the point. People keep saying if they just offer a better, more convenient service than piracy, they won't have to worry about piracy. But how do you do that, when piracy is just a few clicks and totally free? The solutions the game industry came up with are specific to gaming as a medium (updates, multiplayer), and the solution the music industry came up with was to abandon selling music as a profit source altogether and turn to things that can't be pirated like concerts and merch. Neither approach seems like a viable solution for film and television. They can fix specific issues like the exploitative pricing in Australia, but I don't see how they can ever offer a more convenient service than piracy. They're caught between a rock and a hard place.[/QUOTE] I guess it's real convenient for the pirates if they can play piracy off as more convenient, because then the shitty moral decision to pirate comes off as justified. But it's still shitty. You're causing a negative effect by not buying things. Just use your Netflix and get over it.

[QUOTE=Tone Float;47730323]I guess it's real convenient for the pirates if they can play piracy off as more convenient, because then the shitty moral decision to pirate comes off as justified. But it's still shitty. You're causing a negative effect by not buying things. Just use your Netflix and get over it.[/QUOTE] Throwing moralistic views into the discussion of Piracy is never a good idea, ever. Especially not when the companies are suing people for $70,000,000,000,000. One "lost" sale apparently equals the GDP of a small country anymore. Ignoring that, you're still not even remotely close to touching upon what in some countries is the standard and entirely legal. Your views and morals are not an argumentative position in a capitalism based society.

[QUOTE=catbarf;47729776]That's kind of a problem when even just entering your credit card info is less convenient than pulling up a torrent, as the number of people torrenting Netflix shows attests. With games you can offer easy installation and updates, plus multiplayer, as incentives for people to buy your game, and then use DRM platforms like Steam to make the piracy alternative inconvenient. What can the film/TV industry offer that beats a completely free version of the same exact product?[/QUOTE] One system that is actually faster and more convenient than a torrent is Neon Stingray apps for Smart TVs, specifically SF anytime (if you're in scandinavia you might be familiar with this). Select movie, enter phone number, enter the 4-digit code that that the app texts you, and bam, you're now streaming in HD. No registration, no faffing about with billing. All details are automatically fetched from your phone/internet service provider and the cost appears on your next bill.

The thing is pirating it is easier for me because I'm young. I don't have cash magically flowing out of my wallet. Besides, There are things we much rather spend on than movies, I could spend my $40 actually feeding someone in need than giving it to a multimillion dollar company.