1. ‘Piracy’ refers to an illegal act of violence, detention, or plunder committed against a ship or aircraft.
2. ‘Traditional piracy’ refers to an act of attacking and stealing from a ship at sea whereas ‘internet piracy’ refers to the practice of using the internet to illegally copy and/or distribute digital content such as music, software or movies.
3. Internet piracy undermines and steals from the creators of the content being stolen. It also has a negative impact on the economy by reducing sales in the entertainment industry. This can lead to the loss of employment.
4. Student responses willvary. Students may suggest that, amongst the general population, internet piracy is not considered to be a criminal act – it is often said to be a ‘victimless’ crime.
5. Responses will vary. Students might suggest that breaking of laws such as theft or vandalism have a more visible victim than internet piracy, where the victim/s is less obvious.