Copying Is Not Theft - Official Version

Question Copyright · music · Watch on YouTube

What it is

Nina Paley's one-minute animated free culture anthem with vocals by Connie Champagne, arguing that copying is not theft.

Linked constantly in copyright and piracy debates as a short explainer of the difference between copying and physical theft.

“time proved me wrong it seems. Please watch it.”
Short animated argument that copying is different from theft.
vibragiel, 2010-12 · Strong recommendation · in “The "other" side of file sharing”
“More about in copy is not theft video”
Explains why file copying is not theft.
lince, 2013-02 · Recommendation · in “Court orders UK ISPs to block more piracy sites”
“I can't believe people are still equating copyright infringement with physical theft.”
Explains why infringement is not physical theft.
jra_samba, 2016-10 · Recommendation · in “Netflix Now Only Has 31 Movies from IMDB's Top 250 List”
“A one minute ELI5 explanation about the difference between physical and intellectual property.”
One-minute explainer on physical versus intellectual property.
Matumio, 2022-01 · Recommendation · in “Copyright doesn't need 95 years to get the job done”
“plug this educative video in an internet conversation”
Educative video on copying versus theft.
glerk, 2022-04 · Recommendation · in “The bottom is dropping out of Netflix”
“This is all really pretty simple”
Simple explanation of why taking differs from copying.
autoexec, 2023-12 · Recommendation · in “If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: nina paley, copyright, piracy, free culture, animation