Digital content, by virtue of its intangible nature, does not inherently exist but resides solely within the metaphysical realm of knowledge. It pertains predominantly to the human imaginative capacity. Thus, any attempt to criminalize such content is an endeavor to penalize human imagination, an act that should fall under the domain of personal ethics and aesthetics rather than state coercion. Here is an example:
In the analog era, music sharing fostered trust within communities. The internet revolutionized access but raised concerns over content impermanence and corporate control, evidenced by incidents like Amazon's content modifications and HBO Max's removal of shows post-WarnerMedia and Discovery merger. Such actions reignited interest in physical media, although diminishing availability led some to illicit methods, aka digital "piracy".
Historically, pirates have inadvertently preserved culture, as seen with "Nosferatu" and CBS radio broadcasts from WWII. Bootleg copies occasionally fill gaps left by entities like the BBC. The 1980s brought home video recording, spawning sharing networks and prompting organizations like the Video Game History Foundation to grudgingly acknowledge "piracy's role" in preserving (cultural) history. However, the digital age muddied lines between blogs and labels, with some repurposing old music, navigating the boundaries of intellectual property rights. Platforms like YouTube where amounts of digital content is daily erased, further emphasize the precariousness of online preservation.
Contrasting these issues, the phrase “The Internet Is Written in Pencil”, often used to describe the impermanence of online content, highlights the internet's ephemeral nature and the importance of balancing digital and physical preservation methods.
Inspired by the Reason's article: "The Pirate Preservationists: When keeping cultural archives safe means stepping outside the law" by Jesse Walker.
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