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Comment by froo | Hacker News Reader

The whole thing oozes irony.

Users are now paying for a service to "protect" them while they download stuff, that they didn't want to pay for.

Not only have the RIAA and MPAA completely failed to slow down the filesharers, their heavy handed tactics have provided a way for TPB to monetise their services.

So in the end, which side does Hollywood think is going to win? before you answer that I'll pose four more questions.

1) Are the number of filesharers increasing or decreasing?

2) Who's technology is evolving more rapidly, Hollywood or the P2P community?

3) Is it more convenient to go sit in a crowded cinema and pay for overpriced tickets/popcorn/drinks, or click "download this torrent" ?

4) Do you really think users are concerned with respecting the copyrights of studio's that glorify theft in their films? (eg Gone in 60 seconds, The Italian Job, The Oceans 11 Films etc)

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The issue is far more complicated than just file sharing, the issue of file sharing has simply brought the anonymizing services to light to the general public. Sweden recently passed a law that lets our government perform targeted mass surveillance and is in the process of passing data retention laws. Essentially our government are bullying its people into civil disobedience.

Now all the studies and polls I've seen in Sweden since the file sharing debate went mainstream a few years back is that people think file sharing for personal use is ok and my own anecdotal experience suggest it's no longer something you brush under the table it's something you do openly.

This is going on at the same time as the Cinemas in Sweden reported no loss in ticket sales between 1997-2007 (also consider this is the time when home cinema packages went mainstream) and SF the biggest cinema company reported record ticket sales for 2009. This is in a country where virtually everyone have access to at the least 24mbit DSL.

Personally I like going to the movies as does my friends, we see 3-10 movies a year even though we take no moral issue with piracy and don't mind watching movies on tiny 12" laptop screens when we feel like it. You go too the movies for the experience it sort of like why would you go out and drink in a crowded bar where you have to que for overpriced alcohol and possibly be hassled by random drunks when you can have a party at home with whoever you like.

About 3), I can tolerate the crowd, but the hour of advertisement before the movie annoys me. Especially the shorts against pirating: "Hey, I did pay and I sit in this cinema. You do not need to punish me with this indoctrination. Perhaps next time, I'll just download, to watch the movie and only the movie."

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