this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2023
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This abstraction doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Of course you're in charge of your computer, but just because you're free to choose a certain option, doesn't make it moral, or legal. Using a companys service and making a special effort to withhold payment then saying "it's not theft, they're totally cool with it" is absurd. Why would they be cool with that?
I don't care of they're cool with it, I'll use my computer how I want to. Google makes hundreds of billions in annual revenue, it's hard to feel bad for them. Calling that theft is a massive stretch, they are not losing anything except for potential profit, you could argue bandwidth but that is so intangible compared to any kind of physical theft.
Keep in mind with adblocking we're dealing with fractions of a penny per video and Google is still making money off me regardless. I directly support creators I like, sending them $10 is an order of magnitude more money than they would get over a lifetime of me watching ads.
Have you ever paid hosting fees? Digital != Intangible.
Its up to you to decide what kinds of theft you're ok with. I definitely pirate things, but I don't lie about it and say it's not theft. I just accept that sometimes I'm the bad guy.