Solving The Problem Of Digital Piracy
Piracy has long been a social problem and a nuisance to several industries. Not only is it rampant in the music and video arena, it is fast becoming a silent crime in the virtual world. Articles and music applications on web pages are now freely available to every cyber user. One can even obtain the entire content by simply using the copy and paste technique and post them on their own blogs. This unauthorized use and distribution of articles and applications voids the writers and creators of the financial gains that they deserve.
Piracy is a silent crime that goes unnoticed. Even a lot of the youth today are the prime movers in this illegal action. Though piracy cannot be totally eradicated, there are still ways to somehow reduce the incidence of this petty theft. Since the likelihood of being caught is very minimal, piracy is very widespread and even comes to a point that it becomes uncontrollable.
Increasing Awareness
Anti-piracy educational campaigns should be taken a notch higher. Though piracy awareness has been taking place, it needs to evolve into something that would demand more attention. Since the youth spends most of their time in front of the screen and are most likely susceptible to the temptations of downloading applications without obtaining the permission of the owner, it is then a crucial step to incorporate piracy details in the school curriculum. Parents should also educate their children on the dangers of indulging in piracy and inculcate in them the moral responsibility that comes along with their computer usage.
Fair Prices and Quality Content
Why do people find piracy very tempting? It is because they can get an almost good a deal at a very low price. That said, the key to stopping piracy is to sell quality content at fair prices. Apple is actually taking the first step in this not so popular method. Apple has been doing it with the I-Tunes Music sore. With several digital restrictions on copying, better quality at fair prices, piracy could really be diminished. Though this effort would not completely stop piracy, and some people will and still pirate, making an affordable alternative could very well cut the piracy population in half.
Policy Amendments
With stronger copyright laws, it might be more difficult to download items without going through the hassle of acquiring legal license. Not all “pirates†are willing to go through the hole. Enforcement techniques should be delivered sternly. In September 2003, several lawsuits were filed against individuals who illegally downloaded copyrighted content via file sharing networks. This is the first progress to discourage Internet users from even committing this petty crime.
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