> But separately from whatever meaning you attach to the word "piracy" - illegally downloading creative works is theft.

Can you look up the legal definition of theft in your country and post it.

Here's mine (Canada)

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/section-322.ht...

" 322 (1) Every one commits theft who fraudulently and without colour of right takes, or fraudulently and without colour of right converts to his use or to the use of another person, anything, whether animate or inanimate, with intent

(a) to deprive, temporarily or absolutely, the owner of it, or a person who has a special property or interest in it, of the thing or of his property or interest in it;

(b) to pledge it or deposit it as security;

(c) to part with it under a condition with respect to its return that the person who parts with it may be unable to perform; or

(d) to deal with it in such a manner that it cannot be restored in the condition in which it was at the time it was taken or converted. "

Please outline how downloading a movie meets that definition.

I'm not advocating piracy, but lets stop with the "theft" rhetoric which clearly it fails to meet the legal definition.