All digital data are just numbers, a series of 1's and 0's, a long string of digits - in other words any digitalized media are just large numbers. If you digitalize a movie for example, you basically turn it into a large number.

But if those data are just large numbers, how can you claim copyright over them? It is equivalent to trying to patent the number 10 and then require everybody who uses the number 10 to pay you royalties.

Imagine if everybody patented a number and then schools would have to pay these patent trolls for being allowed to use those numbers to teach kids math.

Ridiculous, isn't it? Well, the copyright of any digital media is just as ridiculous, since if you digitalize something, it becomes just a number.

So claiming copyright of any digital data is basically just a number patent trolling.

No one can own digital media, because you cannot own a number. Because you didn't create that number. That number always existed. It is part of the Universe. You merely wrote that number down. If you digitalized your movie, then what you did was just writing down a large number that under some circumstances can be used to reconstruct your movie.

But does that mean that you own that number? Does that mean that you can claim ownership rights over that number? Of course not! That would be insane!

That would mean that anybody could claim ownership of any number by simply writing it down!

Would you really want to live in such a world? Well, you do live in such a world.

Copying any digital data is never a theft. You are not removing anything from anybody, you are merely making a copy of a number. Just because that number can be used to reconstruct a copy of someone's movie, doesn't mean that person can restrict you from using that number.

The concept of ownership makes sense only in terms of physical items. Extending it to the realm of ideas and numbers is pure madness. It is an unjust system and can potentially cause many unforeseen consequences.

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Pub: 26 May 2019 10:39 UTC
Views: 841