said by CXM_Splicer:Great point... if I add a few zeros to my passbook's balance... have I stolen anything? Of course not, it would be ridiculous to think I have.
If you access the banks computer and add some zeros to your balance... have you stolen anything? NO... you certainly have committed a computer crime but the THEFT doesn't occur until you go withdraw money you don't own; same as with the passbook. At that time, you are depriving the bank of real money.
I think my point flew over your head. These days money is digital. You don't think there's actually a piece of paper money for every dollar out there do you?
If someone adds money to their account and never actually withdraws money and instead uses it to buy virtual items (say movie downloads), you can't say no crime has been committed. Just because the money was created out of thin air, doesn't mean someone doesn't have to eventually pay for it down the line.
Likewise, if instead of purchasing a download from a movie company, you choose to pirate a copy of it, you are technically depriving the company out of the purchase price. Things get a bit more blurry if you never had any intention of making a purchase in the first place, but that doesn't make it legal.
It may not technically be theft, but it is the very
definition of piracy, which last I checked wasn't legal.