Is Digital Piracy Is Similar to the US Anti-Drug Campaign
September 9, 2022
From the 1980s-2000s. American kids were subjugated to the DARE. The DARE program was a federal drug prevention program that was supposed to educate kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. It failed miserably. Instead, kids were exposed to more knowledge about drugs and alcohol. The same thing happened with anti-piracy ads: “Why Piracy PSAs Often Fail Spectacularly” says The Hustle.
Ever since the Internet allowed people to pirate everything from music to movies to software, screens were flooded with anti-piracy PSAs. The anti-piracy ads compared digital theft to stealing a car, bike, etc. The PSAs did more harm than good, like DARE, but they are entertaining as eye-rolling memes. Why did they fail?
“Many don’t see it as theft. It’s called file sharing.
Messaging is too extreme. It’s reasonable to compare downloading a movie to stealing a DVD — not to grand theft auto.
They’re not relatable. People might be deterred by malware warnings, but an Indian PSA featuring Bollywood stars — who are worth up to 200k times the nation’s annual per capita income — failed to garner sympathy.
Declaring piracy a widespread issue implies everyone’s doing it. So, why not you?”
In the United States, pirates aka file sharers are not bothered by the idea of stealing a few bucks from Hollywood. Piracy is also a white-collar crime. While there are fines and stiff penalties, the risks are minor compared to hacking, identity theft, murder, sex trafficking, and the list goes on.
No one cares unless it allows law enforcement to issue a warrant to prevent worse crimes or the moguls lose a lot of money, then they get the talking political heads involved.
Digital piracy is not new and we can thank the 1990s for the legendary rap, “Don’t Copy That Floppy.”
Whitney Grace, September 9, 2022
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