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Pluralistic: A profoundly stupid case about video game cheating could transform adblocking into a copyright infringement (29 Jul 2024) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

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No trackers, no ads. Black type, white background. Privacy policy: we don't collect or retain any data at all ever period. Here's a weird consequence of our societal shift from capitalism (where riches come from profits) to feudalism (where riches come from rents): increasingly, your rights to your actual property (the physical stuff you own) are trumped by corporations' metaphorical "intellectual property" claims. That's a lot to unpack! Let's start with a quick primer on profits and rents. Capitalists invest money in buying equipment, then they pay workers wages to use that equipment to produce goods and services. Profit is the sum a capitalist takes home from this arrangement: money made from paying workers to do productive things. Now, rents: "rent" is the money a rentier makes by owning a "factor of production": something the capitalist needs in order to make profits. Capitalists risk their capital to get profits, but rents are heavily insulated from risk. For example: a coffee sh

Today's links A profoundly stupid case about video game cheating could transform adblocking into a copyright infringement : Actual property rights are less important than the metaphorical property rights of "IP." Hey look at this : Delights to delectate. This day in history : 2004, 2009, 2019, 2023 Upcoming appearances : Where to find me. Recent appearances : Where I've been. Latest books : You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em. Upcoming books : Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em. Colophon : All the rest. A profoundly stupid case about video game cheating could transform adblocking into a

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