I am ashamed that I hadn’t reasoned this through given all the rubbish digital services have pulled with “purchases” being lies.

  • Stuka@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I guess you can’t steal anything when you just decide to limit the definition of the word.

    But if we’re in reality and using the way words are actually defined then yes you can steal something intangible, and no it does not require someone to be deprived of something.

    • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’m not going to look up every state, but the Penal Code in some states explicitly define theft as:

      A person commits an offense if he unlawfully appropriates property with intent to deprive the owner of property.

      So, I think it is reasonable to include intent to deprive as part of the definition.

      • Stuka@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You do understand the difference between penal code and the definition of a word, no? Surely the reason why the two are not at all even comproably is plainly clear to anyone of reasonable intelligence.

        • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          In the state where I live, the penal code includes the legal definitions of words such as “theft”.

          The legal system here does not use a Webster’s dictionary to define words. We use the penal code, code of criminal procedure, traffic code and other legal guidance codes to define the meanings of words used in the law and in official government communications.

          These are the definitions that would be used by complainants in cases brought against pirates, if such a case were to be brought. For that reason, I believe these definitions are relevant here.

          • Stuka@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            The penal code necessarily uses incredibly narrow definitions with very specific verbiage.

            Using the word steal in OPs title is common use of the word, which aligns with the dictionary definition, they certainly are not quoting a legal definition

            Get outta here with this dumb shit.

            So much ‘verbal’ diarrahhea to try to make yourself feel better about what you’re doing.

            I pirate shit, that is a form a theft. Cope with it or stop doing it.

            • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I was genuinely following your debate points until you got to:

              Get outta here with this dumb shit.

              I have been kind and polite our entire interaction. I didn’t even initially downvote you. In fact, I initially upvoted you. If I’ve worded something in a manner that implied I was attacking you, my apologies.

              I’ve simply offered a reason one might include a specific phrase in their definition. There is no reason to be this angry or insulting in such an innocuous and ultimately meaningless debate.

              You made some good points. I feel I made some good points. That should be the end of it, whether we agree or not. There’s no need to bring emotion into our interaction other than support for each other’s valid points.

        • floppade [he/him]@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          I don’t think you understand how laws work. Many times, they are required to define terms in order to enforce the law.

      • Stuka@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        To selectively focus on one small sliver of the definition of the word, ignoring the full meaning of the word and the context to push your agenda? Smells like propaganda.

        • merc@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          The entire definition matters. There’s already a term for “copyright infringement” it’s “copyright infringement”. Pretending it’s theft is just a trick the copyright cartels are using to try to make it seem like a serious crime that has existed for millennia instead of a relatively new rule imposed in the last few centuries by the government, then made ridiculous by the entertainment cartel.

    • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      I guess you can’t steal anything when you just decide to limit the definition of the word.

      I guess you can steal anything when you expand the definition of the word to anything you want.

      You live on the internet, it would take you 5 seconds to link to the “actual definition” you are using if the word was actually used that way.