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Originally Posted by PC_Arcade
Rubbish, if I were to download an MP3 no body LOSES anything, although they don't gain anything either.
If I steal a CD then the retailer loses the cost of that CD and THAT is the difference, theft carries an associated loss, infringement doesn't (necesarily)
It has nothing to do with semantics.
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You are arguing semantics.. If you download an mp3 and don't buy the CD, then while the retailer might not have lost the cost of the CD, he or she has lost a potentional sale. Also, the other costs I mentioned above still need to be paid, and while the loss of one potential sale will not affect anyone much (the record company still has to pay the studio time etc, but the cost of that in each single is probably less than £1), if 100 or 1000 people download a song and don't buy the CD that will affect everyone involved, and indirectly may cause a slight "loss" to the people who do buy the CD (they will have to pay increased prices). So, I believe that it is theft in much the same way as, say, tapping into somebody's phone to make calls and not paying for them.
Either way, whether it's theft or copyright infringement, it's still illegal. That's what I meant when I said you are arguing semantics.