This article's lead section contains information that is not included elsewhere in the article. (April 2024) |
Online piracy or software piracy is the practice of downloading and distributing copyrighted works digitally without permission, such as music, movies or software.[1][2] The principle behind piracy has predated the creation of the Internet.[not verified in body] Despite its explicit illegality in many developed countries, online piracy is still widely practiced, due to both the ease with which it can be done, the often defensible ethics behind it, and access to files that would normally cost money or be otherwise unobtainable. Some of the most pirated software includes Adobe software and Microsoft Office.[not verified in body]