Is Piracy Over the Internet Really Piracy?

For thousands of years, human beings have made laws so as to avoid confusion, chaos and anarchy. But laws are made only out of the need for the laws. Piracy was the sole motivator for the need for laws on intellectual property, such as copyrights. But if society as a whole does not recognize the law, then is the law really correct, or could there be some flaw in the law itself.

A majority of the people in the world who utilize the internet come in contact with so called "pirated" software or music or some other data, at one time or another. Often such people are not worried about the consequences of use of such "pirated" software. In fact, most people would continue to download pirated software at their own leisure while not recognizing its legal value. There are very few people who actually bother being purely original, or who have downloaded pirated data without knowing that it is illegal.

We must ask ourselves who makes laws? It is said that society makes laws and criminals break them. But if the majority of the society does not recognize the existence of the law, can you actually say that the law was made by the society. This argument holds true especially in the case of piracy over the internet, as majority of the users of the internet do not recognize downloading software, music or data as illegal. This would indicate that majority of the society does not recognize downloading such data illegal and therefore who is to say that such a law against it exists. If every person is equal in this world, why should users on the internet have to follow the laws laid down by the rich minority. Shouldn't the law consider the opinion of majority of the people?

Free use of the internet for such purposes may seem illegal, but considering that majority of the people all over the world can't afford everything as it is and if provided free there is benefit in the development of culture, mind and development of intellect as well. In fact, the internet has revolutionized learning and teaching all over the world. Even developing countries can now have access to the best resources for education thanks to this wonderful free media. It must be noted that such use for educational purposes should in fact be propagated and not curbed.

I leave this topic with doubts in my mind and open to any comments. I hope that the free use of the internet is not curbed and the enthusiasm for people to use this medium of freedom for expression and exchange forever.