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If you’ve ever wanted to watch a movie online for free, or play a computer game without paying for it, you know how difficult this can be. There are some places, however, that offer pirated software that allows you to watch movies, play games, download music, and get other software like survey software for free that normally you would have to pay for. This is illegal, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
Many of you may be familiar with Napster. They may have been the company that started pirated software in the first place. Napster allowed you to upload your music Cd’s to their server and then share your music with anyone online. You could also get music from other people and store it on your computer. The music companies became upset with this because people no longer had to buy a CD in order to own the music. A music artist cannot make money if nobody buys their CDs. Eventually Napster’s music sharing was put to rest, but not until enough people complained about its illegality.
Some things that are illegal in the United States are not considered illegal in other countries. This is why you may have heard about people downloading a movie from a website that is in a foreign language, and even though it had subtitles, it was still the same movie. There are always going to be people who try to find a way around the system, but this doesn’t mean you have to get involved.
Nowadays, if you want software for free, it is wise to proceed with caution unless you are on a trusted freeware website or looking at open source software. Companies pose as pirated software companies in order to get you to download products that contain viruses to “punish” you for your illegal activity. Not everyone is your friend or a trusted source, even if they seem professional and friendly online.
