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Non-technical users are almost every single user in the world. So, if DRM prevents just those people from being able to simply email a video to a friend, then it actually is preventing most "pirating".


It prevents person-to-person sharing for non-technical users of the original content. The real question is: How hard is it for a non-technical user to find and download a pirated version from the Internet?

It's the difference between:

  Hey! This track is awesome lemme email it to you.
and

  Hey! This track is awesome. Google for a pirated version
  of it!


Almost everyone on the internet doesn't know what a torrent is, and would stop at trying to email it to a friend. The larger share of the market IS being prevented from sharing by DRM.


They don't have to know what a torrent is to search for "How do I watch season 4 episode 2 of MY_FAVORITE_SHOW for free?" and eventually find a torrent or working video stream.


Most people I know outside of programming circles would find the latter to be WAY too much bother.


How much of the world lives in programming circles? Is it large enough for the labels to bother suing users? Regular joes/janes are more resourceful than you give them credit for.




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