And if yes, what are the implications? Are times changing for piracy in this regard?

I’m asking since I’ve been noticing headlines every odd day or so about different streaming sites getting shut down. I don’t know if this is because people are sharing these types of news more now, or if it’s because in fact the tides are turning significantly and now companies and governments have more control and power over the web.

Is it just me getting fear mongered with these headlines or is it for real? Any veteran pirates out there that can share some thoughts?

  • Sabata@ani.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 hour ago

    Nothing new, they just happened to take down a few big names recently and they want to brag about it. 1 goes down 2 more take its place. The only hard part is finding a replacement that’s cozy enough to bookmark.

  • Chainweasel@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    49
    ·
    edit-2
    4 hours ago

    It’s more or less always been like this.
    p2p services like Napster were getting a shut down and replaced with limewire, then limewire was shut down and replaced with FrostWire.
    The Pirate Bay has been shut down at least half a dozen times, demonoid was shut down 6 years ago, Grooveshark was once an ad free music streaming service but tried to go legit at some point to save themselves.
    Every few years the movie and record industries get a burr up their ass and go for the piracy and streaming websites. But these websites have always been like a Hydra and when one of them is killed, several more eventually pop up to take their place.

  • 9point6@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    23
    ·
    edit-2
    4 hours ago

    TBF those streaming sites are usually the lowest common denominator, run by people who are just trying to make as much ad money as they can before they get caught or shut down.

    When one shuts down, another inevitably pops up—it’s been this way for a couple of decades. No site ever lasts longer than a couple of years tops, it’s just a way too obvious way of doing things to not get caught eventually

    Generally it’s best to go with a download based approach anyway (or one of the streaming approaches that doesn’t involve a web browser), given the quantity of shitty ads and tracking those sites have on them.

    • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      3 hours ago

      I wonder how profitable they actually are. The ad money must be reasonably good to justify the risk.

      Though I suppose the risk is exactly why these sites are run from the countries they typically are…

      • slazer2au@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        2 hours ago

        From memory they are run out of countries that have very relaxed copyright laws, I think Vietnam is the one in the news recently

  • Etterra@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    3 hours ago

    It’s pretty standard issue whack-a-mole. They usually pop back up with a slightly different URL and/or domain extension.

  • WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    4 hours ago

    Every once in a while, businesses make an anti-piracy push to scare off potential users and make a statement. So far, these efforts have not eliminated piracy completely. This is one of those moments.

  • hedgehogging_the_bed@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    4 hours ago

    There’s always churn and turnover, I’ve been part of communities that lost up to 3 of the top 5 sites for something etc. and the community bounces back in a couple of months. Streaming sites aren’t horrifically difficult to set up so they will often reappear shortly with similar interface.

  • lath@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    3 hours ago

    Piracy is changing in a different way than expected. Before, viruses were mostly of the type that do damage for fun or steal some game accounts. But all that was left behind.

    Nowadays, it’s all about stealing your cryptocurrency or making your hardware mine cryptocurrency, organized crime ransomware and government agencies hijacking your shit to spy on its own citizens or rival countries.

    With the shift towards a higher digital presence, so do the dangers grow exponentially.

    • WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 minutes ago

      That is not what is happening here. They aren’t shutting these sites down to keep us safe, they are shutting them down to enforce protection of capital.