Is It Time To Form A 'Rogue' Party Instead Of A 'Pirate' Party?

from the what's-rogue? dept

We've discussed a few times how important language choices are in the debate over copyright -- something that entire books have been written about. For years, the key term was always around "piracy." It was all about stopping pirates and dealing with piracy. But, some have noticed a gradual shift in the language, away from piracy. In fact, much of the debate around COICA has focused on "rogue" sites rather than "pirate" sites. Copycense and Glyn Moody recently had an interesting Twitter discussion on the topic, as seen below:
Part of the discussion centers around whether or not this allows for greater conflation of copyright infringement with other types of infringement, such as patents and trademark/counterfeiting. That certainly sounds reasonable to me, though, I also wonder if part of it is the realization that condemning people as "pirates" just isn't effective any more. Part of it is that people have realized how ridiculous it is to compare non-commercial, personal file sharing to "piracy," and part of it may be the overall embrace by some of the term (e.g., "The Pirate Party"). Perhaps, for all the attempts to use the negative word "piracy" as part of the failed education campaign aspect, the industry is realizing it's time to move on.

Of course "rogue sites" seems like an odd choice as well. Is it really accurate or appropriate? The definition of "rogue sites," seems to depend very much on who's talking. I guess that's part of the beauty of it. It allows folks in the entertainment industry, for example, to label any site they don't like, or which represents a challenge to them, business model-wise, as being "rogue." It's "rogue" as in that it doesn't fit with the way the industry wants to do business.

And, yet, historically, if we look at some of the most innovative businesses in the world, they started off as being "rogue," as in going in a different direction and going "off-the-farm" with some crazy ideas. For example, a little industry known as "the movie industry," started out in very much this manner, running out to Hollywood where it could grow without having to deal with Edison and his aggressive patent enforcement attempts. Perhaps "rogue" isn't such a bad thing.. and maybe we should be embracing rogue sites and services, in that they seem to be driving innovation forward in useful ways.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: coica, language, piracy, rogue sites


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • icon
    weneedhelp (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 10:58am

    interesting Twitter discussion on the topic, as seen below:

    Indexing... never loads.

    earlier today:
    read resources.youknowbest.com - locked firefox, had to kill process.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    :Lobo Santo (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 10:58am

    For Example

    I'm fairly certain "going rogue" in British idiom means "without underwear."

    This could be fun.

    Also, "Bent" mean "gay" in British idiom, which is why Futurama never got a fair shot at general broadcast. ;-P

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Kevin (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:06am

    How about the "Angry Nerds" Party. What could be threatening about a bunch of angry nerds?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Poster, 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:13am

      Re:

      Have you ever been around a group of angry nerds?

      The body odor alone would be enough to get the RIAA to give in to their demands.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:00pm

      Re:

      Lawyers are already soliciting Rovio to see who gets paid for the inevitable Angry Nerds trademark infringement suit...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:06am

    going rogue

    I would imagine Sarah Palin has a trademark or some crap on her book title. The underware reference makes that title a lot funnier.
    At the poltucal convention for the rogue party your "ticket" to get in is not wearing underwater FTW.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    lavi d (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:23am

    My Contribution

    Rogue Pirates in Rouge Party, the RPRP.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    MrWilson, 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:35am

    Maybe a Rogue Party could get confused votes from Tea Party Voters who think that it's a Maverick Party.

    "Pirates? I thought I was voting for Sarah Palin! That woman is a true Amercun!"

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      el_segfaulto (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:58am

      Re:

      "Pirates? I thought I was voting for Sarah Palin! That woman is a true Amercun!"

      You forgot a letter there...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Zangetsu (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 11:56am

    Perhaps this name?

    Why not a "Common Sense Party"? Their platform could be:

    • a political party for the people, not the corporations

    • a political party that would shift the cost of copyright enforcement from the government to the copyright holders

    • a political party that understand that just because there is a patent on a drug does not mean that it should cost a lot

    • a political party that understands that Patent reform is about patenting *new* things, not items found in nature (genes) or digital versions of physical items

    • a political party that understands transparency in government means you need to share more information and not penalize whistle blowers for doing what you asked them to do

    • a political party that understands the word "secular" and how it should be applied

    • a political party that understands that the federal budget would be a lot closer to being balanced if the special interest projects were removed

    • a political party that understands if the government is shut down then they shouldn't be paid either.

    But, then again, I'm not sure the public is ready for such a radical choice.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:08pm

      Re: Perhaps this name?

      I thought that was the Libertarian Party, Ron Paul style...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:02pm

    Question:

    Rogue, as in, sneaking, backstabbing RPG character or rogue, as in, has nuclear weapons and is willing to use them?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      MrWilson, 12 Apr 2011 @ 7:32pm

      Re:

      Rogue as in a flying, super strong, power-stealing Southern belle mutant with a weird white streak in her hair.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pixelation, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:21pm

    Anything but rogue...

    Please. McCain and Palin pretty much ruined the term for me. I was embarrassed for them with the whole "going rogue" thing. A geezer and a soccer mom do not = rogues. They just don't. Epic fail, try again.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    suchenwi, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:22pm

    What's in a name?

    Of course, the choice of a name is important - especially when running for office. And of course again, that choice is free.

    But also consider that "Pirate Party" is by now a little more than a funny idea for a name. After the first, Piratpartiet, was founded in Sweden on Jan. 1 2006, sister parties have been created in over 40 countries, mostly in Europe, but reaching as far as Canada, USA, Mexico, Argentina on one side and Australia and NZ on the other.

    The Swedish Pirates won one seat (should be two now..) in the European Parliament in 2009. European Pirates have run in many elections since then, and won seats in local parliaments in Germany, Switzerland, and Czech Republic.

    The Pirate Parties International (PPI) is an association of many national or regional Pirate Parties, and requires members to have the word "Pirate" in their name. At their last conference in Friedrichshafen some weeks ago, the pirates of Canada, Maroc, Slovenia, and New Zealand were voted upon and welcomed as new members.

    So, even as Pirates are critical on various "intellectual property" issues, the name "Pirate Party" has become a kind of international brand.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Harrison Bean, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:27pm

    How about the Cheapskate or freeloader party?

    Or if you want to make it marginally nicer, call it the "free rider" party. After wading through all of the smoke and fog, it's clear that not paying is the main point of it all.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Fickelbra (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:57pm

      Re: How about the Cheapskate or freeloader party?

      Judging by the tone of this message, I assume you subscribe to the Troll party.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 1:05pm

      Re: How about the Cheapskate or freeloader party?

      Or if you want to make it marginally nicer, call it the "free rider" party. After wading through all of the smoke and fog, it's clear that not paying is the main point of it all.

      Weird. While I'm sure some people do make that argument, we've rarely seen that to be the point of the issues raised here by anyone at all. In fact, we keep seeing that people are more than happy to pay when they realize they're supporting artists they like directly.

      It seems like your claim is pure FUD.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Niall (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 4:15pm

      Re: How about the Cheapskate or freeloader party?

      Or not wanting to pay over-priced, over-long monopoly rent party?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        The eejit (profile), 13 Apr 2011 @ 2:09am

        Re: Re: How about the Cheapskate or freeloader party?

        Hmm...how about the Monopoly party? Where we do the exact opposite fo what's in the name.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    crade (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:28pm

    Maybe if we get enough experience at being rogues we can upgrade to the Ninja party.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:46pm

    If you're thinking of a single-issue party, perhaps the 'Freedom to Innovate party' would be the way to go - although I'd wager that simply participating in one of the "established" parties and adding this to their list of things they care about would be a better way to go.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Killer_Tofu (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 1:07pm

    The problem with rebranding

    One thing that the politicians and MAFIAA miss completely is that it doesn't matter what term they use. Over time that term will be used lightly and not in a bad way. They will continue to use it in an attempt to be derogatory, but it will fail to be so. Why? Because very few people see file sharing as a bad thing. Well over half of our own country here either view it as fine, or not a bad thing (even if they don't participate). As long as the public opinion is against what these special interests want, they can call it whatever they want but they can't change the people's opinion.

    Youtube alone has helped call plenty of attention to how stupid copyright laws are. In plenty a video where either the audio was removed or the entire video, you can see people commenting how copyright just ruins things. Public opinion is against them, and anything they want to call file sharing is already on the path to the same fate as "pirating". It just isn't a bad thing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      suchenwi, 12 Apr 2011 @ 1:30pm

      Re: The problem with rebranding

      File sharing is just a fact of life. Or, better: sharing of information. People talk, communicate. They lend books to each other. (Interestingly, no longer possible with e-books.) Sharing is caring.

      I think, the bottom question in the "Pirates" affair is: how does an older world (including much of the media industry) deal with the fact that information sharing is easier than ever, and doesn't need intermediaries like MAFIAA and associates? Or: how do we deal with them?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Killer_Tofu (profile), 13 Apr 2011 @ 7:10am

        Re: Re: The problem with rebranding

        Very good questions. My best path to dealing with them so far is write my congress critters to not pass their stupid legislation while at the same time buy nothing they control. If they won't adapt then I will do all I can to ensure that they are removed from any position that can affect any new tech.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Prashanth (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 2:50pm

    Truthfully, I'd rather not be associated with Sarah Palin. On the other hand, I would like to get my pirate's license in college. :)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    The Groove Tiger (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 3:24pm

    Why "rogue"? Just get on with it and rename them "magnificent bastards".

    "You counterfeited our goods, you magnificent bastard sites!". That'll definitely make them stop infringing on copypatentrightcounterfeitpiratedgoods.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Gwiz (profile), 12 Apr 2011 @ 5:50pm

    Oh great.....now I'm going to have to listen to people call Mike a "rogue apologist" for the next year.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.