“When you pay, it is perceived differently” – Business – Kommersant

Since the beginning of the military operation in Ukraine, many services and companies have left Russia. Demand for downloading apps with pirated content has increased by 300-400% since February. Kommersant asked video bloggers, musicians, actors if they use illegal content.

Valentin Petukhov (Wylsacom), video blogger:

— I try to use exclusively legal software and media content. But now, given the circumstances, what cannot be bought has to be obtained somehow. My kind of excuse is that if the owner of the service does not want me to pay or does not make the possibility of payment convenient, then he has lost me as a client anyway.

Software for professional tasks is a slightly different story. It must be updated, not fail, and is generally used for monetization, so you have to purchase it in different ways, for example, pay with cards from non-Russian banks. I am against piracy. For me, the consumption of legal content is also the hygiene of the time you spend watching movies and TV shows. When you pay, it is perceived differently.

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Evgeny Margulis, musician:

– In the past, when the Internet was underdeveloped, the first torrents appeared, I, like most people, downloaded “left” music. Then there was no other way out. Now there is no such need, I buy on the Internet what I need – and listen, read. It’s not God knows what money, and I’m glad that I can afford to get what I need normally.

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Alla Dovlatova, actress, radio host

– There is such a sin, sometimes I use the services of pirated resources. But less often – YouTube, other public sites provide an opportunity to watch and listen to something. This year, for example, has not yet downloaded even once. As a rule, this is a movie, and the one that I have already watched in the cinema.

And I buy books in the store and read “live”. It’s more interesting for me, besides, here I am ready to support the author and the publishing house with a ruble. Probably, pirate sites are more of a pastime for today’s youth. We once talked with a five-year-old daughter about pirates, she passionately talked about fearless people who sail the seas and rob. And then my 18-year-old son came in and said: “I’m a pirate too! I download free cartoons on the Internet for you!”

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Alina Nasibullina, actress:

— I believe that the arrival of streaming in Russia has certainly made it easier to find and watch movies and series. It is especially great that you can watch everything in the original. If you want, turn on subtitles in any language.

But personally, I really love auteur cinema, which, unfortunately, is not represented on such a large scale in the available venues. At least the films that interest me. Most often, you have to work hard to find such content, and you have to use third-party resources, maybe pirated ones. And I prefer to read books in print.

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Kirill Kolesnikov, double parkour world champion:

– I can sometimes watch a movie or series on a pirate site if it is not available on other platforms. But I prefer online cinemas, such as Kinopoisk or ivi. The same goes for music — Russian streaming services allow you to listen to foreign music.

I try to buy books, and not download from leftist sites, because any work should be rewarded. I would not want my products to be simply downloaded from somewhere, so I try not to do that myself.

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Alexander Gorbachenko, Director of the Intercontinental Esports League:

– At first, all computers were equipped with pirated software, if there was nothing else. But then we gradually bought ourselves a real one, and for more than 15 years we have not encountered anything else. Even in the face of sanctions, our talented people find a way to pay for new versions for their Sony set-top boxes via VPN or use the help of friends on any of the continents. Can this be called piracy?

I do not accept the justification of piracy as a “response” to deceit on the part of the supplier who received the money but did not provide the product. When buying games, there is no grace period when you can return a novelty you don’t like, such as sneakers or insurance. But prior exposure through piracy has been replaced by multiple gameplay reviews covering the product extensively and professionally. You can save up for a game if it costs a lot of money. But for this price there is access to official servers, updates and technical support.

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Andrey Lefler, singer, composer, arranger:

— Piracy is present in our life. True, we ourselves are more likely to suffer from it, but so far not much. Therefore, while we put up and do not waste time fighting small piranhas.

Group “Direct speech”