“Downloading pirated films is stealing” these are the words that show on the screen before watching a movie on the theatre or even before you play any original DVD. These people keep informing us that buying pirated products is stealing. Their raids and investigations led to some wondering if they’re doing something illegal or not - which almost half not knowing they’re unconsciously sharing a file for everyone to download, or copying a film or a software illegally so they could use for other purposes. On the other side, some people still support these pirated products – not knowing they were illegal copies in the first place.
According to the Arabian Anti Piracy Alliance website, more than 2 million counterfeit discs consisting mainly of movies and software have been seized just in the last year. Also, about 15 pirates have been jailed for illegal production of such materials. Good thing is that the Alliance now has various offices in the Middle East, including the UAE which secretly monitor places here and arrest those who are responsible for these acts.
But why do some still support piracy? Probably one good reason is that it is cheaper. Honestly, would you spend about 1400 AED just for a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate? While it’s really not advisable to deter into these options, one can’t really help but think practically on how one could save money. The downside is that, it’s illegal.
Another probable reason is that in relation to films, pirates can get hold of screener or work print copies of movies. These copies are released by the studios themselves, which are then given to award-giving bodies for review. There are also ‘screener’ copies, which are intended mostly for screening for the critics. Funny thing is, somehow at least one gets in the hands pirates and all is history. Such things are also common on the internet and once you place something in the internet, it’s hard to delete it.
Since most films are only released on DVD after about a period of 3-5 months, most people prefer downloading these content or buying bootleg copies of it. Additionally, with the high prices of cinema tickets not only here but in the other countries, most would prefer watching in the comfort of their own homes.
With the recent advancements in technology, most have already began copying movies from Blu ray and the now defunct HD DVD discs. These discs claim they have the most advanced copy protection available, but yet some were still able to penetrate through this secure protection.
In a recent statement made by Patrick Hayati, McAfee Regional Director for Middle East and Mediterranean, he has mentioned that software piracy is a very serious problem in the Middle East, and that’s why McAfee loses about 40 to 50 per cent of its revenues because of piracy.
Still, the success of pirates would depend on how consumers would support them. If these companies can provide low-cost legit copies of softwares and/or films, then consumers may see the white light and ultimately decide that the original is always the best. This in turn, would hopefully create a trend in which consumers would stop buying pirated products, which would make the pirates make a run for their money.
- Taken from my monthly Tech pulse column in PC Magazine Middle and Near East, published by DIT Publishing
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