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innovation-hacking2

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shitposting_dataset5

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[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM)." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery", ">\n\nSince western cultural entities are now owned by hyper conservative monarchies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the eastern block doesn’t have to feel concerned about western liberalism making its way into new media." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery", ">\n\nSince western cultural entities are now owned by hyper conservative monarchies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the eastern block doesn’t have to feel concerned about western liberalism making its way into new media.", ">\n\nLike anyone cares." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery", ">\n\nSince western cultural entities are now owned by hyper conservative monarchies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the eastern block doesn’t have to feel concerned about western liberalism making its way into new media.", ">\n\nLike anyone cares.", ">\n\nThe best revenge" ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery", ">\n\nSince western cultural entities are now owned by hyper conservative monarchies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the eastern block doesn’t have to feel concerned about western liberalism making its way into new media.", ">\n\nLike anyone cares.", ">\n\nThe best revenge", ">\n\nWelp another country to add to the cartoonishly villianish list. It's like the bad guy at the end of a scooby doo cartoon. Once we get rid of nukes we need to curb stomp some countries." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery", ">\n\nSince western cultural entities are now owned by hyper conservative monarchies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the eastern block doesn’t have to feel concerned about western liberalism making its way into new media.", ">\n\nLike anyone cares.", ">\n\nThe best revenge", ">\n\nWelp another country to add to the cartoonishly villianish list. It's like the bad guy at the end of a scooby doo cartoon. Once we get rid of nukes we need to curb stomp some countries.", ">\n\nKorea can now freely copy their tractors then." ]

[ "Post Nintendo fan content in Belarus to avoid DMCA", ">\n\nHaha", ">\n\nThis seems like an invitation for subtle propaganda from unfriendly nations.", ">\n\nI was thinking the same thing.\nIt's just a Free License to import western culture.", ">\n\nDoes this even make a dent in profits? Belarus is a tiny country of less than 10 million people, not exactly a key market for media. \nThe US has probably sneezed more money at Ukraine in the last week than Belarus has paid to US media companies in the last 50 years.", ">\n\nProbably not a huge dent, but it could be the start of a trend, where other countries follow suit.", ">\n\nI doubt there are any large countries whom depend on exports that would just go and ignore intellectual properties rights...", ">\n\nChina is the closest to fitting that criteria", ">\n\nYes, but China also very much does not want influence from western culture, and therefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there, so western media companies don't have as much to lose there as one might expect.", ">\n\n\ntherefore greatly restricts what can be legally distributed there\n\nThe point is bootlegs can't be legally distributed in China, but the trade is huge. There is literally no Hollywood film or Western TV show you can't pick up on most street corners in China, burnt onto a DVD for around $1.50. And if they don't have what you want, you can ask them, and they'll have it for you the next day.", ">\n\nI live in china. That was true. Over a decade ago.\nNow we pirate online like everyone else. You can buy accounts for western streaming services very cheaply.", ">\n\nGood to know. I lived in China 18 years ago.\nEdit: What's it like there with the COVID at the moment?", ">\n\nyou wouldn't download an army?", ">\n\nYou wouldn't download a dictator", ">\n\nLuka is bloatware incarnate.", ">\n\nBlyatware.", ">\n\nPerfection", ">\n\nJokes on them. Now it is legal to watch The Witcher: Blood Origin. That is a torture.", ">\n\nAnd all those crappy Russian propaganda movies from unfriendly Russia who's trying to use them as meat for their invasion of Ukraine.", ">\n\nBro can yall just fucking not? Doesn't matter what the fucking thread is about yall always need to bring up the fucking war. The world doesn't revolve around Russia and Ukraine.", ">\n\nWhat do you think this law is about?", ">\n\nLol ridiculous! as if they had ANY copyright legal enforcement there prior", ">\n\nYeah.. even in many western countries it has become really hard to enforce copyright infringements...\nHere in Norway there hasn't been any cases for years and I believe the last case was against someone who uploaded and seeded a movie that the uploader had put in his 'signature' so proving it was him was possible.\nI've never stopped using the bay of sea bandits and the likes and have gotten two or three letters from some lawyer company with a form they want me to sign so they could send me a bill for the equivalent of a couple of hundreds of dollars. Or else they would drag me to court!\nI obviously never responded and never heard from them again...\nBecause proving that it was me beyond reasonable doubt is virtually impossible without confiscating virtually all of my computer equipment and the police here has repeatedly stated that raiding and confiscating computer equipment worth hundreds to thousands times more than the fine and compensation to the movie company just isn't something they do...\nDownloading movies and shows have been defacto legal in Norway for the last decade.", ">\n\nThey should be less worried about piracy and more about pricing. If they set the right price, people will buy it.", ">\n\nIt's more about convenience for me. What I want to watch is scattered across way too many streaming sites.", ">\n\nI haven't pirated much in the last 10 years or so. the only reason is because it became as easy to buy as to pirate.\nthis hasn't been true for the last couple years. the only reason I haven't cancelled everything and gone back to piracy is because I'm too lazy to set stuff back up.", ">\n\nPiracy sites work basically like Netflix these days.", ">\n\ndo they have apps I can browse on my TV?", ">\n\nHook up a laptop to your TV and you can browse that way", ">\n\nBelarus: \"The West is our enemy and \"we\" stand against everything they've become!\"\nAlso Belarus: Let's Western culture flood into the country, free of charge.\nGood for deal if you ask me.", ">\n\nI'm not so sure about this. There is a LOT of evidence that well maintained legitimate access to content is preferable to piracy, look no farther than the rise of steam and netflix.\nLegalizing piracy will definitely lead to less legitimate services in Belarus and could lead to less consumption of western content overall.\nIt's also just a generally pretty reasonable way to implement sanctions as citizens get to keep most of the benefits of consuming western media while keeping the money that would normally flow out inside the country. Trade is really really good but getting free stuff is often better.", ">\n\nHow to lose the culture war in one easy step!", ">\n\nWon't this hurt any tax revenues the country would have gotten from the legal sale of these things?", ">\n\nYou think they are thinking?", ">\n\n\"Binge, comrades! Binge today, for tomorrow you're conscripted and the Donbass beckons!\"", ">\n\nepic", ">\n\n\npirated movies\n\nThe horror! The horror!\nTab back to what I was watching two seconds ago...", ">\n\nThat is probably the reaction of many young Belarussians right now", ">\n\njolly pirrrrrate sounds", ">\n\nCome on up and see me urchins. That’s quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard! Arrrrrr", ">\n\nAnd we'll download Belarussian shows as well, like.....errrr....uuuummmm....hmmmmm.", ">\n\nIn fairness there does exist at least some good Eastern European content. I’m fairly into Balkan film myself.", ">\n\nNoone would steal from potato land in return. Checkmate westoids. /s", ">\n\nWonder how Steven Seagal feels - the guy's a Putin stooge just like Lukashenko, but a significant portion of his market just got the greenlight to pirate the fuck out of his work.\nHow's he gonna afford second breakfast now?", ">\n\nAnd third and fourth... Not to mention pre lunch...", ">\n\nYou missed out elevenses. The Seagal will not be pleased.", ">\n\nI'm so sorry completely forgot his blood sugar levels... Yes of course. Thanks for reminding me 🙏", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading captain America.", ">\n\nBelarus starts downloading Team America.", ">\n\nTime to flood the market with anti russian everything, give them what they want...", ">\n\nWell I'm going to do the same with popular Belarus media then... oh wait... there is absolutely nothing in this catalogue I want to consume", ">\n\nI’m sure major studios are relying on Belarus and its economic might.", ">\n\nlet's punish the west by consuming even more western media. that'll teach them.", ">\n\nPfft like they were paying for any of that before", ">\n\nNothing new, just about everything in eastern Europe is pirated anyway.", ">\n\nWhat if The Pirate Bay was an actual place?", ">\n\nFinally, a show to compete with Oak Island.", ">\n\nA lot of people seem to have this idea that Belarus is like North Korea. If you go to Belarus and turn on the TV, you will find plenty of Hollywood movies dubbed in Russian, playing on many channels. They also have movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood films.", ">\n\n“Status of piracy in belarus unchanged”", ">\n\nWhat does this have to do with torrenting a movie? You can do that everywhere.", ">\n\nlol, so desperate for outside culture that they have to make a law reminding people that nobody outside of Belarus gives a shit about Belarus. \nI don't think this is the burn they think it is.", ">\n\nI'm sure they were strictly enforcing those laws before. /s", ">\n\nIf they are unfriendly, why the interest in the cultural creations?", ">\n\nWell if this isn't the definition of shooting oneself in the foot then I don't know what is", ">\n\nThey must have a Doctor Evil over there.", ">\n\nAnd around the world the studios begin shaking at the thought of a small percentage of the 9.4m population nicking their content and causing absolutely no issues", ">\n\nWhich countries, in this exact context, are listed as \"unfriendly\"?", ">\n\nMostly like the same list of unfriendly countries/territories published by Russia a few months back. Basically everyone with sanctions against them.", ">\n\nWhen you have absolutely no leverage at all in geopolitics, this is what you do, I guess..", ">\n\nThought they hated western culture. Sure seem desperate to keep it intertwined in their lives.", ">\n\nIn a tit for tat move the west runs to pirate all the nothing belarus has produced.", ">\n\nLol, they're just saying the quiet part out loud now, it changes nothing. Doesn't even have to be \"unfriendly countries\". As long as there's no direct financial incentive, nobody gives a shit about piracy. So, the US give a shit, because the produce everything. I'm in Portugal. I can pirate whatever the fuck I want, nobody is ever coming after me. Like my government is going to spend resources because American companies are not making money lol.", ">\n\n\"We don't like your country and your culture, but we still want some those Marvel movies\"", ">\n\nNext step, conscription by IP address", ">\n\nAs opposed to the steadfast enforcement of international copyright law that Belarus was known for up to this point...", ">\n\nAmateurs! In Brazil, we do it with friendly countries too!", ">\n\nThey openly hate western ideals and culture but passes a law so they can pirate western ideals and culture. No wonder these people support Putin, they’re morons.", ">\n\n….\nSwitches VPN location to Belarus", ">\n\nSo a return to the USSR, which didn't give a s about copyright and eagerly copied and pirated Western stuff. Well, Lukashenko and Putin *are big fans of Sovok (Russian depreciatory name for the Soviet Union), and Belarus continues a lot of Soviet-era policies, and even has a modified Soviet-era flag, so...", ">\n\nAdopting the imagery of a historic predecessor doesn't mean you follow the ideology. You don't think the UK's still an empire, do you?", ">\n\nAhem, do you actually know how Belarus works? He's literally recreated a mini-USSR within his country, both on political and economic level. It's more or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today.", ">\n\n\nMore or less how a USSR that survived the Perestroika would have looked like today\n\nI don't think you understand that Perestroika also included an economic aspect. It was a total opening up of the country. If the USSR had made it through the 90s it probably would've been a neoliberal satellite state of the US (kind of like a big, white Haiti), and obviously that hasn't happened in the case of either Belarus or Russia. Being a dictatorship ~~=~~ the USSR.\nDamn, this is the political capacity of the brightest minds on the internet lmao", ">\n\nExcept the Perestroika was a hodgepodge of different approaches meant only to ensure the USSR could better compete with Western countries, not to make it a free market democracy. It's precisely the economic reforms that lagged during the Perestroika, while a lot of political ones were made. A USSR that kept falling behind the West but continued its existence would have likely liberalized to a certain extent, but otherwise continued to be very heavy-handed and centralized, like China or probably Cuba.\nFact is, Belarus' economy is dominated by a few state companies and banks, like Belgospischeprom, Bellegprom, Belneftekhim, Beltransgaz, land use is strongly regulated, Internet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\nYou should know these things if you wanted to argue. But there's a book for that from Edward Lucas: Belarus, the Last European Dictatorship (2011, last edition from 2021).\nEDIT: Since TheManWhoFightsThe cowardly blocked me, here's my answer to his last comment below:\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here.\n\nNope, not really an oligarchy, if you actually read on Belarus, and especially since there isn't much in terms of fossil fuels to exploit. As for Russia, the FSB has been extorting and making life difficult for companies since at least the 2000s, Yukos was nationalized for spurious reasons in 2003, and in 2022 Russian government and Central Bank's response to the sanctions made its market even more unstable and less attractive for investors (hence why capital flight reached a 1994 high). It's only as \"free-market\" as the top dog in the Kremlin feels comfortable with. Russia is a sad mix of crony capitalism and chronic state harassment.\nAlso, Scandinavian countries and Israel have significantly freer economies and political systems, although Israel's record on human rights (given the circumstances) is still controversial at best. As for monopoly of violence, that's all states ever, from the earliest gangs to modern UN and NATO. The key is there's still a large variation of opportunity you have among different countries and organizations.\nAs for the US, although it does have the world's largest prison population, it's \"only\" the 6th highest rate in the world, and declining. Their number has more to do with crime in the streets and lack of police, rather than things like not being allowed to criticize the president, the government's policies or being stopped for running sober. THAT is a real police state. Also, US is weird in general. Has a very decentralized and polarized political system (just perfect for someone to dictate everyone!) and a highly free economy, but also authoritarian work environments and the need for an extensive worldwide military to ~~expand the reach of US companies~~ make up for the fact literally no other democratic country has wanted to pull their weight in light of the other authoritarian/totalitarian sharks swimming around the world.\nI like also how you ignored, aside from the obvious symbolic similarities with the USSR, how tightly state companies control the Belarus economy. It's not just a few key sectors like in European countries.\nEDIT 2: It was your choice to argue with me. I take your refusal to follow through and to block me as a win. Will be happy to learn from and enlighten other people.", ">\n\n\nInternet is tightly controlled, there's an extensive police state, any private companies that exist have to play by Lukashenko's rules, you have to ask for permission to open a bank account in a different country, etc.\n\nSoooooo an oligarchy? lol. The same thing goes on in Russia with Gazprom and Rusal. No one's gonna call Russia a new USSR just because the intersection of state preference combined with personal control is so tight.. Well, maybe some here. State ownership of natural monopolies (Aramco in Saudi Arabia, booze in Scandinavia, etc.) is not uncommon. Saudi Arabia's a dictatorship in all but name. Is MBS the new Stalin?\nBtw, internet censorship isn't exclusively in the realm of single market economies. Israel actively removes footage of Palestinians being shot by occupying forces, and much like China, they don't hide the fact that they have a monopoly on violence. \n\"Extensive police state\" lmfao what does that even mean. The US has the world's largest prison population and cops disproportionately targets Black and Latino people. We've got one too.\nlmao cowardly. Like we're 16th century Englishmen getting ready to duel. Nah man, I don't have the energy to argue with petty bastards like you all day. You'll stay blocked.", ">\n\nWhat a great day for botnet, spyware, malware, and intelligence agencies!", ">\n\nYes. This immediately made me think of stuxnet.", ">\n\nThat will teach them! Nothing like encouraging your repressed population to freely watch the culture of a free population to suppress descent.", ">\n\nBecause they are too stupid to make their own..", ">\n\nPreparations for mobilization.", ">\n\nI mean, doesn't that just increase cultural exchange? It's not like we think our entertainment companies deserve all their profits here in the West anyway. Not very upsetting.", ">\n\nOh no. What will all the western producers do now without the belarussian markets?", ">\n\n\"Additionally, later today, I will be tweeting my own personal Netflix password, far all to use!!\"", ">\n\nI guarantee there will be a centralised souce with collection of pirated software that contains malware from Russian government to spy on citizens.", ">\n\nA great way to ensure that's the only way to get any of those things ever again", ">\n\nOkay? It's not like anti piracy laws were enforced there or anything.\nSad that they don't even realize how bad this posturing makes them look.", ">\n\nLike legalizing them will make any difference. Pirated moving are more or less official in places like that anyway.", ">\n\nI have a hard time believing any piracy laws were ever enforced", ">\n\nThis just give pirating streaming services a free place to operate without fear of reprisal. Or having to devolve it’s client list. This is HUGE globally.", ">\n\nThat’s probably going to bite them in the ass, giving people access to the Western world lol", ">\n\nHehehe. You wanna play this game. I'll Don my hat and sail the Belarusian seas for IPs to pillage yarharhar", ">\n\nThey can pirate Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” but that’s my final offer -Biden", ">\n\nNothing new. Russia, China and other countries have been doing this years and years!", ">\n\nYeah, sanctions works both ways...", ">\n\noh no whatever will we do without all those belarus sales", ">\n\nAnd for my next evil move, I will make all western media FREE, depriving the west of our valuable currency, ensuring our citizens consume endless uncensored western media until... oh, wait... crap.", ">\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?", ">\n\n\nIsn't this absolutely awful for foreign investment, specially when it comes to entertainment ventures?\n\nYep. This is one of the few, universal ways to trigger the Zimbabwe effect on your own nation. Then again, a lot of us are expecting they'll be swallowed up by Russia as a consolation prize if/when Ukraine becomes completely untenable.", ">\n\nHate unfriendly countries so much they want their stuff", ">\n\nBelarus is less an independent country and more an armpit of Russia.", ">\n\nI've already legalized it from all countries.", ">\n\nHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point", ">\n\nI work in content security. Challenge accepted", ">\n\nIronic considering that just a couple of months back the state-owned \"BelarusFilm\" was trying to censor a showing in Scotland of the film \"Kupała\" via their ownership of the copyright, something they've apparently tried to exploit elsewhere.", ">\n\nFuture smash tournaments to be hosted in Belarus. It's the only way they can actually get a proper tournament without Nintendo shutting it down \nWho am I kidding. Nintendo will still manage to successfully shut it down", ">\n\nNOOOOO!!! Please don't hurt our beloved music and movie industries....they are struggling to survive as is!!! /s", ">\n\nA country can do a lot of things to America… (like providing a “staging area” to invade an ally)… but corporations are the power behind America and if Belarus starts ripping them off… 💩 is gonna get serious.", ">\n\nOooo, they're playing hardball now! Lol", ">\n\nThe only country where movies theaters can make money now", ">\n\nOh, that's REAL mature, Belarus. Guess what.... You're no longer invited to my birthday party.", ">\n\nNO PLEASE NO HOLY FUCK PLEASE JESUS DO SOMETHING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING", ">\n\nmaybe in retaliation we'll allow pirating of all that sweet belarusian content...", ">\n\nGreat opportunity to sneak some malware into their machines.... Hell, even help distribute it via torrents they're known to use.", ">\n\nAs retaliation goes, this is as week as the sauce can get...", ">\n\nSo they volunteer to ingest \"wEsTErN ProPAGanDa\"? If it's that bad, why not hunt people who watch it with police and army?\nSeriously, I always laugh at this stuff. Moaning and whining about west and saying it's the devil, and then continuing to just watching the stuff anyway, just refusing to pay for it.", ">\n\nThat's okay, we know you really love our culture while claiming to hate it over your bowl of gruel and the sounds of security forces ruling your life. \nWe will be ready to accept you onto the world stage when you put on your big boy pants, remove your dictator, and gain some self respect and self determination.", ">\n\nlol lukashenko. it's weirdly fascinating just watching him. he takes passive-aggressive into just an entire different realm.", ">\n\nWith how behind these countries are, they’ll probably pirate R Kelly", ">\n\nTo be fair, I do wish more countries would do this. Break big companies monopolies on \"their\" IP.", ">\n\nI have no problem with this. Oh, I mean\n\nYoU wOuLdN't DoWnLoAd A cAr", ">\n\nImagine if downloading a car literally just created a new one for you without affecting the original car in any way (aside from it's market value due to the supply increasing). \nThat would be the correct analogy.", ">\n\nI am sure nobody will put backdoors if the IP is from Belarus or Russia", ">\n\nThe Swifties are gone lose their absolute shit!^/s", ">\n\nEhhhhh let's go new season of dragonsssss", ">\n\nA Russian puppet state legalising the practice of something they already do at a state-sponsored level with the faintest shred of plausible deniability is hilariously in keeping with all these Baghdad Bob moments the Russians are having during the war that they started that they are losing. \nFrom a source on the ground!\nOverheard at the heavily fortified command center denying bombs were falling while literal bombs were falling near him and denying the presence of Ukranian armored units when \nliteral tanks were in the literal streets visible over his shoulder just outside the window, General Medvedev expressed defiance and laughed at the the new piracy laws before being urgently escorted from the shaking room as explosions sounded outside.", ">\n\nOh no! Hollywood will now go bankrupt!", ">\n\nBread and circuses. Distract the people while war commences...", ">\n\nThat'll teach em!", ">\n\nSadly there is nothing worth pirating from that country...", ">\n\nThat’ll show us!", ">\n\nI hope they have good anti virus software in Belarus", ">\n\nThat is like cultural shoot in the foot. \nSoon B will be part of E.", ">\n\nThe Law of Unintended Consequences proposes that Luca will soon regret his decision!!", ">\n\nSo it means we all can pirate shit from belarus legally!\nAny good stuff?", ">\n\nWhen can we legalize invasion of Belarus ?", ">\n\nOh shit and now he pisses off capitalism? You know that asshole doesn't take this kinda thing lying down.", ">\n\nCracked software sounds totally safe and not virus-laden to me.", ">\n\nWell we know where all the new piratebays and streaming sites are gonna set up shop", ">\n\nall that for western imagination on the screen and headphones.\nbabushkas and mustaches never made it big in hollywood after all.", ">\n\nIf China can copy everything... why not", ">\n\nAnd they pirated THAT idea from China. Look how long it took them. Stupid. Then they had to TALK. Stupid, stupid.", ">\n\nOK we surrender!", ">\n\nHey here’s something you don’t have to pirate Belarus: Voice of America or Radio Free Europe", ">\n\nNice honeypot.", ">\n\nLol, cant wait for them to get hacked to pieces because of torrents. This might be the first country taken out because of piracy ahahahaha", ">\n\nOk setting VPN to Belarus in 3, 2, 1…", ">\n\nI wonder if there's any Usenet servers that operate out of Belarus.", ">\n\nWelp. I guess Microsoft won’t make any money from Microsoft Windows Democracy Edition…", ">\n\nBelarus doing anything won't even tickle the US probably.", ">\n\nLol. Were they enforcing these piracy laws prior to this? Something tells me no…", ">\n\nIt would be much better for everyone if Belarus banned commercial software from \"unfriendly nations\" and demanded mandatory use of open-source software.", ">\n\nDoesn't seem like many neurons are firing in that part of Europe. Did Belarus get rid of all their talent as well?", ">\n\nWish you could've seen how their TV looked like after much of the talent fled the public stations. Some news segments seriously looked like lazily made PowerPoint presentations!", ">\n\nBelarrus.", ">\n\nWell then, that sure showed us… /s", ">\n\nThe world should reciprocate and pirate all of Belarussia’s artworks, as soon as they create something that anyone would want.", ">\n\nAbsorb that western ”propaganda”", ">\n\nBelarus is going down like Russia.....is it all worth it Luka?", ">\n\nWe'll do the same!\nOh wait -- Belarus creates nothing of interest :/", ">\n\nThe rest of the world: Internet piracy\nBelarus: Online privateering", ">\n\njugoslavija did the same during nato bombing in ‘99. we saw matrix on a regular tv station, while it was still in theaters", ">\n\nAnd when they start pirating Pro-Democracy/Anti-Russia movies?", ">\n\nROW: Sets VPN to Belarus", ">\n\nCareful... ..you will find yourself on the wrong side of the frontlines.", ">\n\nTime for Hollywood to fight the culture war fellas\nThis should be fun lmao", ">\n\nThey couldn’t afford it to start off.", ">\n\nNo doubt a severe blow to their domestic entertainment industry.", ">\n\nI'm in the United States. That's not legal?", ">\n\nOkay. Enjoy being westernised free of charge?", ">\n\nFree speech. But not that kind.", ">\n\nY'all acting as if it wasn't \"legal\" before. Piract isn't really punished in easter europe...", ">\n\nUnited States rolls up sleeves: “Here hold my TRIPS, Belarus is in need of some freedom”.", ">\n\nDoes that include Russian films? They’re being pretty unfriendly right now, even to Belarus as the looks of things", ">\n\nTime to disable windows and western software in Belarus.", ">\n\nSerious question, but is there any noteworthy Belarusian movies/music?\nI mean, the leader is a putz, but I'm assuming the people are still people capable of producing artwork. I just can't think of any \"big Belarusian artworks\"", ">\n\nLot of handwringing from a bunch of suckers in this thread", ">\n\nFor Belarus, that's pretty boss. BEL ARRR! RUS PIRATE NATION! ARRR!", ">\n\nBelarusians ; download the movie \"Red Dawn\" and take a few notes \nWe honestly don't mind", ">\n\nKiss your Olympic teams goodbye.", ">\n\ngotta get your groove on", ">\n\nThis is being overanalyzed.\nLukashenko had his username blocked by pornhub.\n/s", ">\n\nWell then we’ll just do the same thing with all those great Belarusian movies and music songs!!!", ">\n\nWasn't piracy allowed anywhere that wasn't the us Canada or western Europe? Xd", ">\n\nMess with the Mouse, get the horns", ">\n\nSo business as usual, got it.", ">\n\nVPN and VPS providers love this news.", ">\n\nSo, basically a digital letter of marque.", ">\n\nSo does this mean VPNs in Belarus will suddenly be big business?", ">\n\nWell the thing about piracy is that nobody pirating things cares if they have permission.", ">\n\nI want to download a Belorussian car.", ">\n\nThey also legalized killing anyone who bad-mouths its president... so shove those laws up your arse!", ">\n\nI see some new websites popping out of belarus", ">\n\nConsuming more western media; not sure that Lukashenko really thought this one through. surprised Pikachu face", ">\n\nThey love Western culture, yet seethe in their own self-loathing. Pathetic wretches.", ">\n\nNever interrupt your enemy when their making mistakes.", ">\n\n*there", ">\n\nStop interrupting me!", ">\n\nAny decent VPN having servers there? Asking for a matey...", ">\n\nLucky bastards.", ">\n\nLike they cared about pirated movies, music and software before?", ">\n\nAs if China hadn't already been doing this for years.", ">\n\nas if belarus haven't been doing this for years lol", ">\n\nNone of those people give a rats ass about copyright infringement.", ">\n\nHaha so it wasn’t legal before? You can literally download anything straight from their version of Facebook? Movies, music, whatever…", ">\n\nBelarusians can finally watch Shrek 3", ">\n\nw", ">\n\nBreaking news :Kim Dotcom moves from NZ to Belarus", ">\n\nNothing says 'sanction me harder, daddy' as much as this.", ">\n\nThat'll show em", ">\n\nLove my Pirate Bay. Been using it for many years now. Sometimes it's difficult to log on but eventually get it done Most of my videos music and ebooks are off there.", ">\n\nInvite us in, yes pls install the back doors .", ">\n\nYou mean they cared before ?", ">\n\nthis is already done 20 years in ruzia", ">\n\nWhy is Eastern Europe so full of wacky people", ">\n\nCommunism fucked a lot of people's minds, a lot of them are still in charge.", ">\n\nI see the influence of their Russian visitors is degrading their morality in ways I never expected. Amazing.", ">\n\nGreat way for the Belorussians to find out what they're missing out on.", ">\n\nThats good for the west", ">\n\nThis is the end. They'll be at war with Hollywood and their lawyers. Few can handle that.", ">\n\nLukashenko won't be so smart when a battalion of Disney soldiers show up wearing Mickey mouse ears", ">\n\nThey thought Western weapons were bad, just wait until MPAA and RIAA lawyers join the fight!", ">\n\nThey have no legal jurisdiction outside of America or western countries willing to enforce bans against piracy. \nThey can't block people torrenting on a normal day, would they have any powers to stop regulation in a country that says piracy is ok lmao", ">\n\nWell not directly, no. But not so directly, Belarus just fucked itself over. You can't actually pirate everything, lots of critical professional software out there with nobody having bothered to crack it and no real alternatives in existence. Well... who is going to license anything to Belarus now? Much of it is on periodic renewal, so at least good job on waiting past new year to pull it. Come next January the 1st though... \nNow that I think of it, Belarus is probably the guinea pig here, Russia wants to see how it works out before trying it themselves.", ">\n\nIn thailand in march 2022 i met a diplomat from belarus with his family. After snorkeling i asked his kids if they saw NEMO. None of them knew what i was talking about, so no theyre pretty much on the dark side of the planet.", ">\n\nim not sure what that is but im sure theres plenty of things ive seen that you havent. so it doesnt really prove anything", ">\n\nWell they just poked the wrong hornets nest. Seeing a funded revolution very soon in that country.", ">\n\nThis is going to backfire quickly. Imaging all those sane exsoviets getting an overdose on our individualistic western ideology.", ">\n\nWell maybe not that quickly let’s say more over time…", ">\n\nSo if a government legalizes a criminal act but the crime comments to a country where it is still obviously illegal what shakes out. I doubt film companies are just going to shrug.", ">\n\nLiterally nothing. Those countries where it is illegal have zero authority in other countries. Meaning, it was defacto legal anyways, just not explicitly said.", ">\n\nGreat idea! Not only pirated content often comes with bugs and limited functionality, but there would not be good technical support. So, using pirated programs in governmental spaces will make additional difficulties for users and can cause loss or corruption of data. And of course, it greatly reduces any incentive for local creators to even try to do something (not like there were many of them in the first place)", ">\n\nHistorically pirated content was actually superior to legal version due to lack of crippling DRM.\nPirated movies deleted adverts and anti piracy messages that were often unskippable. While pirated games got rid of online activation (i recommend checking Spore DRM).", ">\n\nI'm getting flashbacks to movie renting, actually.\nI vaguely recall that the videotapes used to have advertisements in thrm, before the movie started.\nSome of them, not all though", ">\n\nConsidering what western countries do with what they consider unfriendly governments or countries this feels amateur I guess", ">\n\nYes yes, west bad east good. We get it.", ">\n\nNo you don't get it, east is bad, west is worse", ">\n\nCountries with anti-Western govts would do WAY worse on the world stage if they were on top. Because they're generally dictatorships, there's no accountability by the leadership. Belarus and other rejects are already doing as much as they can within their powers.", ">\n\nYes! Let the western soft power flow I guess!", ">\n\nWell, that was the red line. We should reconsider our support for Ukraine", ">\n\nI have no idea how to interpret this comment.\nSo Belarus crossed a redline and the US should reconsider it's support because of this? So are you advocating for more or less support?", ">\n\nIt was sarcasm", ">\n\nlol, watching ppl attempt to defend the broken western intellectual property system, simply because the entity perpetrating \"copyright violations\" is bad and two things can't be bad simultaneously 🤦‍♀️", ">\n\nBelarus? I've heard that the people are nice, but the leader sucks Putin's cock. \nJust classify them as \"datable\" once they put the parents in a senior home and dump the current, shitty boyfriend.", ">\n\nDoes this mean we can access any western media through pirate Belarusian sites with a Belarusian VPN?", ">\n\nWon't this prevent them from getting any kind of contracts to show movies in cinemas? Or will they just pirate them as well?", ">\n\nI declare Unfriendlies!", ">\n\nWorld of Tanks is free now?", ">\n\nOk.. They should see how nice life is in a democracy for free", ">\n\nWe probably can in practice. And To the Lake wasn't bad", ">\n\nYeah, Belarus, suck it all up, to the last drop. We certainly can’t get enough.\nProbably a cheap way to get the masses ready for Russia’s imminent “changes” when Putin finally collapses from the supposed cancer he’s been carrying.", ">\n\nI say we go into Belarus and enforce our laws🔨", ">\n\nThuggery", ">\n\nSince western cultural entities are now owned by hyper conservative monarchies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the eastern block doesn’t have to feel concerned about western liberalism making its way into new media.", ">\n\nLike anyone cares.", ">\n\nThe best revenge", ">\n\nWelp another country to add to the cartoonishly villianish list. It's like the bad guy at the end of a scooby doo cartoon. Once we get rid of nukes we need to curb stomp some countries.", ">\n\nKorea can now freely copy their tractors then.", ">\n\nGuys, PIRATE EVERYTHING YOU CAN, MAKE A REDDIT WITH IT, AND SEND EVERYTHING PIRATED" ]

[]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP)." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?", ">\n\nWell it did not fall apart, so by definition - yes." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?", ">\n\nWell it did not fall apart, so by definition - yes.", ">\n\nDo you think the women of Iran should be able to defend themselves with arms ?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?", ">\n\nWell it did not fall apart, so by definition - yes.", ">\n\nDo you think the women of Iran should be able to defend themselves with arms ?", ">\n\nI believe in peaceful protests. If you give weapon to those women, they will not be able to protect themselves anyhow." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?", ">\n\nWell it did not fall apart, so by definition - yes.", ">\n\nDo you think the women of Iran should be able to defend themselves with arms ?", ">\n\nI believe in peaceful protests. If you give weapon to those women, they will not be able to protect themselves anyhow.", ">\n\nWhy do you think they won't be able to defend themselves? Do you believe in peaceful protests where men and women are brutally killed by police ?" ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?", ">\n\nWell it did not fall apart, so by definition - yes.", ">\n\nDo you think the women of Iran should be able to defend themselves with arms ?", ">\n\nI believe in peaceful protests. If you give weapon to those women, they will not be able to protect themselves anyhow.", ">\n\nWhy do you think they won't be able to defend themselves? Do you believe in peaceful protests where men and women are brutally killed by police ?", ">\n\n\nWhy do you think they won't be able to defend themselves?\n\n- they kill a policeman in self-defense\n- the police comes after them and in the best case scenario they get arrested, in the worst case they get executed\n\nDo you believe in peaceful protests where men and women are brutally killed by police ?\n\nNeither you nor I have the right to talk about what the people of Iran shall do while sitting on our couch. A great analogy for you and me would be all those middle-class Westerners that know better than Ukrainians how to fight the war (or how to give up their country), without ever getting even close in a situation like that." ]

[ "/u/kuch_bhi00 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.\nAll comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.\nPlease note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.\n^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nSelf defence means you are protecting yourself from someone that is directing harm at you. There is no way to use a nuke without ALSO killing 10's of thousands of innocent people. \nThere are no situations where a whole city and every single person in it is actively directly a threat to you. Even Moscow, and every single person in it are not a direct threat to any person living in Kiev. \nWeapons of Mass destruction are controversial because they kill innocent people. In your scenario, If a person even attempts to owns a Nuke, it would be wise to immediately kill them as they are now directly threatening your life. Even if you have no relation to them and live in another city.", ">\n\nSo the obvious question is, what do you believe the outcome of this idea will be? I'm sure you understand how much damage even one person with a nuclear bomb can cause.", ">\n\nYour second paragraph is interesting. Where did your figures come from? I found this as the first result from searching Us vs UK crime rates.\nAs for nukes, i don't trust governments to have them. Individual ownership would be disastrous.", ">\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws. Like there are chances that the crime rates in the UK will stay that way even though gun ownership becomes legal there. Also, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\nAdditionally, if normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.", ">\n\n\nif normal citizens had the ability to legally own and use nukes, then they would have a strong deterrent effect against aggression. Countries or groups that might otherwise be tempted to attack other nations would think twice if they knew that their potential victims had the ability to retaliate with nuclear weapons. This could help to reduce the overall level of conflict in the world.\n\nI don't understand how this is different from a country having nukes. Why should individuals have nukes?", ">\n\nNukes to defend your family?\nWe don't have fat man launchers and mini nukes IRL.\nYou use a nuke and you wipe out your neighbourhood at best the whole city at worst.", ">\n\n\nAlso, the USA still has fewer crime rates than many countries which don't allow guns for normal citizens.\n\nYes, but the vast majority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nGun ownership is not at all directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nThen maybe don't make that point in your post.", ">\n\n\nYes, but the \nvast \nmajority of countries with strict gun laws have better security than the US.\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control. It's because of other factors. For example, the UK is a country's strong economy and high levels of social cohesion. Research has suggested that countries with strong economies and high levels of social trust tend to have lower crime rates.\nAdditionally, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of law enforcement and criminal justice, which may help to deter crime and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. \nMaybe if the US police force starts focusing less on protestors or harassing black people then maybe your crime rates will dip down more.", ">\n\n\nIt's not necessarily because of gun control\n\nYou're making a strawman argument.\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.", ">\n\n\nI'm not arguing that better gun control necessarily leads to less violent crime - I'm arguing that less gun control doesn't reduce violent crime.\n\nHow is that not a strawman?", ">\n\nIt's not. Op is arguing that more gun freedom, as I'll call it, decreases crime. I'm saying it doesn't. I have data to back that up.\nI'm not saying that less guns decrease crime.\nI'm saying that guns are irrelevant to the discussion, but arguing that they decrease crime is disingenuous.", ">\n\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nCould you eleborate on this? The homicide rate in the US is many times higher than many European countries with extremely limited gun ownership. Which crime rates are lower and what are your sources?", ">\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\nThere are several reasons why the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates is more complex than it might seem at first glance. One reason is that crime rates are influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural values, and criminal justice policies. It is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\nAdditionally, there is evidence to suggest that higher levels of gun ownership can actually be associated with lower crime rates. For example, a study published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had lower rates of violent crime. Similarly, a report by the Congressional Research Service found that countries with stricter gun control laws did not necessarily have lower rates of gun-related deaths.\nOf course, it is important to consider all of the available evidence when evaluating the relationship between gun ownership and crime rates. However, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.", ">\n\n\nIt's relatively low compared to many countries where gun ownership is very tough for normal citizens.\n\nAnd also high compared to many other countries where gun ownership is very limited.\n​\n\nIt is therefore difficult to attribute any changes in crime rates solely to changes in gun laws.\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n​\n\nHowever, I believe that the evidence does not support the idea that stricter gun control laws are an effective way to reduce crime.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.", ">\n\n\nYet in your post you attributed the \"low crime rates\" of the US to high gun ownership.\n\nOk. So Lets agree that gun is not directly proportional to crime rates.\n\nIt also doesn't show the opposite. Before arming everyone and their mother with a gun I would really like to see some solid evidence that gun ownership reduces crime, especially crimes that kill people.\n\nA person who wants to kill cant be stopped. They will access it anyways from gun smugglers and illegal dealers. Additionally, there are many examples of individuals using guns to protect themselves and others from harm. For example, a woman in Texas used a gun to defend herself and her children from an intruder, and a man in Michigan used a gun to protect his family from a home invasion. These types of incidents suggest that guns can be an effective means of self-defense. Now let's talk about nukes.", ">\n\nWe're not done talking about guns yet.\nYes, you're right that there are cases where guns save lives in America, no one is disputing that. However, there are more cases where the abundance of guns hurts and kills people. \nJust a few days ago a 6-year old shot his teacher, which is something that was only possible due to the abundance of guns. I also watched a ted-talk from a guy who almost shot up a school and getting a gun for it was an impulse decision and trivially easy (he just walked into a random gun store and bought one).\nYes, hardened criminals will always get guns, but a lot of gun violence isn't premeditated but rather done impulsively because the guns are there anyway so you might as well use them. If someone steals a car I would prefer for them and the victim to have no gun rather than for them to both have a gun.", ">\n\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens areoften at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way toobtain guns illegally.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted there is significantly less gun violence and very little reason to own a gun for self defense. Your argument is that because it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns, you need a gun to defend yourself - but you're addressing the symptom rather than the very problem you identified - that it's so easy for criminals to obtain guns.", ">\n\nYes, less guns = less gun violence. If it's that obvious then let's reduce the number of guns and reduce gun violence. Unfortunately, even though this is so plainly obvious, it's a point of contention and needs to be argued. Gun advocates would rather solve the problem of gun violence, which is proliferated by having so many guns, by simply increasing the number of guns (see OP).", ">\n\nA nuclear weapon would not only affect the person you’re trying to defend yourself from but depending on the size it could affect everyone in the room or it could affect everyone within 15 fucking miles. Instead of mass shootings we would have nukings instead of 22 deaths in uvalde there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands at the absolute minimum not to mention all the deaths from fallout", ">\n\nFirstly, the us crime rate is not \"relatively low\" compared to other similarly developed countries. And...it's not as low as the countries with the strictest gun control laws. I don't think you can defend the cause and effect in the way you're doing here!", ">\n\n\nFurthermore, I believe that gun ownership can actually help to reduce crime\n\nThen you believe a falsehood.\nMore Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nI believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a believable scenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.", ">\n\n\nThis is such a wild statement that I am imploring you to give me a \nbelievable \nscenario in which an average citizen would need to defend themself with a nuclear bomb.\n\nI would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Also, countries would hesitate to attack other countries more in such cases knowing that everyone has nukes in both sides.\n\n\"Data from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University reported that firearm assaults were 6.8 times more common in the states with the most guns versus those with the least.\"\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.", ">\n\n\nFor example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party\n\nThe threatened party is the nation. It is to the nation's government to respond, not individual citizens. And, I said believable. It is not believable that a private citizen would have the ability to deliver a nuclear bomb to the territory of the state threatening his. Airport security is tough these days, and nukes are a big no-no.\n\nif a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and amass a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense\n\nAgain, the threatened party is the state. Any actions in response to a state actor threatening another state actor must be undertaken by the state.\n\nGuns are illegal in the top 10 countries with the highest crime rates.\n\nYou cannot compare nations with widely different cultures and situations like this. They are all too different. But, you can compare regions or areas within the same culture and general situation to each other. When you do this, in the US, you find reliably and consistently that areas with less guns have less crime; particularly, less violent crim.", ">\n\nHow do you defend yourself with a nuke\nAlso I would just nuke random cities for fun", ">\n\nI assume he is talking about the deterrent of mutually assured destruction. The fact that attacking you means you can kill them in return means they are less likely to attack you. \nStill a stupid reason for individuals to have nukes.", ">\n\nSelf defense doesn't work against an entire town. \nIf my neighbor attacks the person with the nuke and he nukes in response I and my family all die.", ">\n\nNukes? So a citizen could need to kill hundreds of thousands of other citizens in \"self defense?\"", ">\n\nI don't see how nukes can effectively be used defensively except as a suicide retaliation much like MAD but on an individual level. \nImagine there's a new superweapon that is invented. It's so powerful that at the press of a button all people everywhere except for you die. Do you believe everyone should have one of these?\nThe point is not everyone is a rational actor. In fact I argue most people aren't. We can't honestly even trust people with guns. If we all have guns you are basically saying some rate of murder/killing is acceptable because with a bunch of idiots in close proximity it becomes inevitable.", ">\n\nThere’s a tendency to think of crime like a heist movie, the targets are well chosen and everything is planned out. In reality crime isn’t well thought out, it’s mostly spur of the moment using what’s immediately available. Numerous studies show that people tend to be killed by guns more often when gun ownership is higher. Clearly the chance of a target with a gun isn’t as worrying as you would think.", ">\n\nfirst of all nukes are expensive so already the only people that would even be able to have them is extremely limited. So we have a small number of people with a lot of power (sounds familiar ?) \nSecond of all, who decides what is a nukeable offence? Are there any emergency procedures when someone wants to nuke a place ? Evacuations? You seem to over simply things here", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense.\n\nNukes are not a weapon that can be used in self defence as they are not targeted. If someone is breaking into your home, you can't just set off a nuke to protect yourself. If someone is sending an army your way, you can't wipe out everyone in a 10-20 miles radius and call it self-defence.\nSelf defence allows you to take an appropriate response to an attack. Shooting someone who has broken into your house in the middle of the night who might be armed and you feel your life is threatened, that can be self defence. Shooting everyone in sight because one person is mugging you at knife point: not self defence.\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.", ">\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nAnd this skips over the impracticalities of allowing easier access to nukes. Instead of school shootings where dozens of people get killed, you will instead have \"school nukings\" where the whole school plus the surrounding neighbourhood is wiped out.\n\nThere should be an age limit of 24-55 for accessing nukes, with proper psychological evaluation required. There should also be sufficient evidence to validate the mental health of the person seeking to own a nuke. This evaluation should be conducted by multiple top professionals to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, nuke owners within this age range should be required to undergo a thorough mental check-up every week.", ">\n\n\nFirst, it is true that nukes are not suitable for every situation and that they should only be used in extreme cases of self-defense. However, I would argue that there are certain scenarios in which the use of a nuke might be justified as a means of self-defense. For example, if a country or group is threatening to launch a nuclear attack against another country or group, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense. Similarly, if a country or group is planning to invade another country or group and is amassing a large military force, then the threatened party might have a legitimate right to use a nuke in self-defense.\n\nThis is an argument for countries to have nuclear weapons, not individuals.\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense? Any situation where even the smallest nuclear weapon - which is still the size of the Chernobyl explosion - can have any personal defensive application?", ">\n\n\nCan you come up with any situation where an individual needs to have access to a nuke for self-defense?\n\nDefense against a state with military and police capabilities for which the available resources far exceed what any individual can amass.", ">\n\nWhy is a nuclear weapon necessary in those situations? Why are firearms and conventional explosives insufficient?", ">\n\nBecause a state with a proper police and military can easily overpower an individual, or even a small group of individuals. A nuclear weapon with a dead man's switch would provide a deterrent at the scale a government will be sufficiently impacted.", ">\n\nAnd conventional explosives with a similar trigger won’t suffice?", ">\n\nThe bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons. A little challenging to have space for that much conventional explosives, no?", ">\n\nThat doesn’t explain why you need that kind of ordinance for a defensive purpose. Hiroshima was an offensive attack.", ">\n\nAs I said. As a deterrence on a level that governments must respect. There's a reason that nuclear weapons were the choice of deterrent via mutually assumed destruction and not obscene quantities of other bomb", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nIt would take 1 wierdo incel to cause the destruction of the planet.", ">\n\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes. I know that nukes are generally considered to be weapons of mass destruction, and their use is strictly regulated by international law. However, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. \n\nHow would this ever be in self-defense? Those are usually only held at the country-level, which has so far ensured that both sides don't use them. If individuals with loose fingers could press the button because they feel threatened, you can bet that it would lead to many catastrophes.", ">\n\n\nI believe that the right to bear arms is a fundamental human right\n\nWhy? I don't think this is self-evidently true, so I think its fairly important to establish the reasoning behind it.\n\nIn countries where gun ownership is restricted, law-abiding citizens are often at a disadvantage against criminals who will always find a way to obtain guns illegally.\n\nIf this were the case, we'd expect rates of crimes involving guns to be fairly consistent between comparable countries, and that really isn't the case. I lice in a country with fairly strict restrictions on guns. If someone broke into my house at night, it wouldn't even occur to me that they might have a gun. I doubt any American can say that.\n\nThis has been shown to be the case in countries like the United States, where gun ownership is relatively high and crime rates are relatively low.\n\nThis just isn't true. The US has much higher rates of murder and serious crime than other comparable nations. A person in the US is 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone in the EU.\n\nNow, let me address the issue of nukes.\n\nI don't feel like you've really explained this view, beyond saying that you feel a certain way about guns and don't see a distinction between them and nukes. Anyway, I think there are clearly distinctions that make nuclear weapons profoundly dangerous in the wrong hands and useless for self-defence. Any idiot with an H-bomb can commit mass murder on a level beyond any school shooter or serial killer. \nNuclear weapons have some utility for states, because they have fixed borders and are generally separated from concentrations of their enemies by a meaningful distance. That isn't really the case in personal self-defence. It's unlikely you'll have a valid self-defence rationale for killing someone 200 miles away. Even if you did, it wouldn't be a valid rationale for killing the other hundred thousand people. Realistically, a personal threat is going to emerge near you. If a guy breaks into your house, how is the bomb in the basement going to help? You attempting to use the weapon is the worst case scenario in that situation, well beyond anything a home invader with a gun could do.", ">\n\n\nHowever, I believe that normal citizens should have the right to own and use nukes as a means of self-defense. Just as with guns, I believe that the right to self-defense is a fundamental human right and that people should be able to protect themselves and their families from threats of all kinds.\n\nThe lack of a monopoly on violence is a characteristic of failed states. Not even saying how dangerous it is to have nukes in hands of terrorists etc.", ">\n\nDo you think Iran's monopoly on violence makes it a functional state?", ">\n\nWell it did not fall apart, so by definition - yes.", ">\n\nDo you think the women of Iran should be able to defend themselves with arms ?", ">\n\nI believe in peaceful protests. If you give weapon to those women, they will not be able to protect themselves anyhow.", ">\n\nWhy do you think they won't be able to defend themselves? Do you believe in peaceful protests where men and women are brutally killed by police ?", ">\n\n\nWhy do you think they won't be able to defend themselves?\n\n- they kill a policeman in self-defense\n- the police comes after them and in the best case scenario they get arrested, in the worst case they get executed\n\nDo you believe in peaceful protests where men and women are brutally killed by police ?\n\nNeither you nor I have the right to talk about what the people of Iran shall do while sitting on our couch. A great analogy for you and me would be all those middle-class Westerners that know better than Ukrainians how to fight the war (or how to give up their country), without ever getting even close in a situation like that.", ">\n\nPolice are going to come after them anyway. The consequences of an armed populace against authoritarian governments is hard to overstate. \nI have a right to talk about whatever I please, son. The only way to fight force is with force. Remember when the left was all about self defense and second amendment to protect from a racist government? I do. Remember when republicans used gun control to target black people who wanted to defend themselves? I do, I'm a poc in fact ." ]