How can I defend this??

Question

I have to argue that it is unethical to report to report the use of pirated software by a company or internet cafe. (Whistle blowing). The only semi-arguement that I can think of, is that we are in a 3rd world country and money is scarce, so piracy can't be helped

Btw. this is just for a subject I'm taking up right now. I'm not actually gonna do this. Haha. Just to clear things up

Answer 1

OK, if you're in a school debate and need reasons, we'll have to think very creatively. Try these arguments:

1) In many countries, the software manufacturers fully realize that 95% of the population simply cannot afford to use their software on a paying basis. Therefore, by not clamping down on unapproved useage, they are TACITLY giving their approval.

These companies realize they are still making money because they are spreading the popularity of their product, and it is the actual numerical USAGE of a product that determines how much a company can charge for a product.

For example, newspapers don't care about the small income derived from subscriptions. They simply want to show their newspaper is read by 1 million people. This makes it possible for them to charge advertisers more, and keep the image of their product as something in demand.

2) If you are revealing a company is using pirated software, you must have breached some of their security protocol, and in the process may inadvertently disclose private company information. For example, a company may not even want the outside world to know if they maintain an open internet connection or if they are on UNIX platform. To do so could make them vulnerable to hackers.

3) Back in the Depression era, many companies wanted to pay their employees more, but it would have bankrupted them to raise wages due to the tight economy. The same concept applies to internet cafes: they are in stiff competition, and by reporting one cafe, you give the others an unfair competitive advantage, since they are probably all using pirated software.

Therefore, unless you could know in advance that every cafe would receive the same treatment or penalty, you would be singling out just certain ones for punishment, and that violates the spirit of "equal protection under the law". It's like when minorities complain that police single them out for traffic violations, while letting weathy white people commit the same offenses with impugnity. It's not fair.

So, how is that? Devious thinking, eh? I said we'd have to be clever!

Good luck.

Answer 2

it is not unethical...someone put time and money into that products development and you are in effect stealing from them by using pirated versions...hope you dont get your hands cut off or eyes poked out as punishment

Answer 3

Stealing is stealing. Sorry but there is no defense to knowingly using pirated software.

Answer 4

You're not going to defend it on U.S. soil. Try moving to Mexico - you'd have a better shot there.