The Costs(?) of Internet Piracy

by David Cramer Lyon

Internet piracy is a complicated issue. The recent debate over the SOPA legislation is a good example of just how complex it is. Whether it’s software, music, movies, or literature, there is no doubt that it causes lost revenue. And not just for corporations, but for individual writers and creators as well. What isn’t clear is just how much money is lost to piracy. I’ve always thought that the losses claimed by the entertainment industry were highly exaggerated. Which begs the question of how can you realistically solve a problem when you can’t accurately identify the scope of the problem in the first place? Here’s an interesting video from TED Talks that demonstrates how the losses claimed by the entertainment industry are hugely inflated

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