Top Ten Rationalizations for Copyright Infringement

10.	Artists/creators are being ripped off by the middlemen (record companies, publishers) anyway.
	So you’re Robin Hood, stealing from record companies and giving to …?
9.	Downloading leads to purchasing. Studies show people who download a lot also buy a lot.
	Hmm … maybe they just like having a lot of music?
8.	Prices (for DVDs) are too high.
	Seriously, how often are you going to watch the movie?
7.	Copyrights and patents create artificial monopolies.
	I have a monopoly on every object I own or make. Or is it just thinkers who have no value?
6.	You can’t protect intellectual property in the digital age.
	Well, not with people like you around, apparently.
5.	The Millennium Copyright Act is overreaching (Disney is just trying to hold on to Mickey Mouse), so we’re justified in violating it.
	Yeah, there’s no reason creators should have a say in how their work is used.
4.	Information wants to be free.
	The full quote, from Stewart Brand, also says “… information wants to be expensive,” not that information actually wants anything.
3.	It’s just for personal use. I’m not going to make money on it.
	Oh, then it’s ok. Why not help yourself to that Mercedes too … for personal use?
2.	This will promote your business by giving you free exposure
	and worth every penny!
1.	Everyone does it.
	Yeah, I’m not even going to bother with this one.