Here in China many netizens have approached the practice with a similar mindset. The description used most often in the popular press is "illegal but reasonable". The recent shutdown of hundreds of BT websites has pitched the faction that deems it "illegal" against the "reasonable" camp.
The cat-and-mouse chase ends up in a meal for the cat - no surprise there. Sites like BTChina used to defend itself by saying it was just an index of links. If a search engine is not responsible for illegal materials, why should it be held accountable for the pirated content it links to?
The government's countermeasure is equally adroit: We did not crack down because you offer illegal video content, but because you are not licensed as a video site in the first place. BTChina did not say a word but close down. Its owner, Huang Xiwei, sounded so scared it is doubtful he will go near the business again.
Well, it was not exactly a business, more like a non-profit club. People have been supportive of the sites partly because they did not seem to have a profit motive. Who can blame them for stealing from the rich and giving it to the huddling masses?
But the digital Robin Hoods have been wreaking havoc on businesses whose core products can be digitized. The value of print publications has been dropping; the music business has suffered a mortal blow (in China disc distribution is almost non-existent and digital albums are mostly used as promotional tools for concerts and product endorsement deals); and now the movie and TV industries are putting up a good fight.
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