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Can’t pay, won’t pay: impoverished streaming services are driving viewers back to piracy
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2025
209 points (98.6% liked)
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99% of the general public will not pirate anything because they lack the ability to do so. Of the 1% left, 99% of them use public trackers with variable results regarding quality and shady website shenanigans. The most common form of piracy going forward will probably be like those hacked fire sticks that would stream pirated content, because it's easy and low barrier, like the hacked cable box cards/chips from the 90s.
If you count using shady free streaming websites, I think the number is waaaay bigger than 1%
I don't even think most people own a PC at this point, just tablets and phones.
You don't need a PC to use a shady streaming website though
Then there's me running multiple servers from my home.
You think people don't have laptops? Everyone I know does. 22 yo
What's the average socioeconomic status of your friend group? Most people have tablets now because they can "get them free" from the phone company.
Minimum wage, early to mid 20s. Many are graduated or dropped out students TBF so needed a laptop but the others who never went to uni still have one, mainly to play Sims/Stardew Valley, watch movies on dodgy websites, or write fiction on