Around that, a cult of personality has developed around some of the best known ‘pirate’ brands, from distributors such as The Pirate Bay through to Scene groups known only by a series of initials. Many pirates have become discerning consumers, demanding only the highest quality content neatly presented in fault-free or functionally-specific packages. Today, however, the landscape is dramatically different. Dominated by music and software, consumers were largely grateful for whatever they could get their hands on, supplied by largely nameless individuals with a “sharing is caring” philosophy. A couple of decades ago, online piracy was a relative niche pastime enjoyed by relatively few people.
