Which is the lesser of the two evils?

[~Scootaloo 440]

Since I started MLP I've mainly watched online and I wanted to get this off of my chest... I don't always have time to watch the show on an actual television so I watch it on YouTube.

 

The Problem: most of the time the episodes I find on YouTube have advertising on and I am sure that the uploader does not have permission to even be uploading the episodes online (legally anyway). My issue with it is that people who upload MLP episodes then turn ads on are making a profit (big or small - doesn't matter to me) off of something that they shouldn't be making money off of. However I don't watch them online... normally.

 

What I do: I sometimes torrent the episodes (sorry - Hasbro    (in my defense I do buy the DVD releases when I can)) and watch them whenever I have the free time. My reasoning being that since the episodes online (on YouTube) do not even belong to the uploader why should I watch it there and give them money (indirectly of course)?

 

The Question: Which is the lesser of the two evils "torrenting the episodes" or "watching [ad-enabled] illegally uploaded episodes where the ad money goes to someone else (not the creators)?"

 

EDIT: to be clear I am not trying to condone pirating or making money off of others work

Edited March 8, 2013 by DarkEly

[Nohbdy 4,108]

FUUUUU, voted for the wrong option. Finger slip, yo!

 

I think it's worse to give money to someone other than the creators. With standard piracy, you're accessing the content made by the creators without authorization. Nobody makes money from it. It's really more like unauthorized sharing than stealing. On the other hand, making money off of someone else's work isn't just piracy, it's straight up theft. Both options are considered unethical, but I think it's easy to imagine better arguments for pirating without profit.

 

As for what I do, I have to admit that I've watched episodes on YouTube for convenience, usually when they first come out. I always try to buy them as soon as possible, though, usually through iTunes. I reason that, even if I can get away with watching the episodes for free, paying the creators is the right thing to do.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

I don't think either thing is a great evil. I don't like "giving money" to someone, but I'm not doing that; the ad companies are. Besides, I use AdBlocker so I don't have to see all that crap they put on every Youtube video now. Without that site, I couldn't have become a brony at all. I've never had cable TV.

 

I own all the DVD releases except for Crystal Empire, and will also buy S2 if/when it comes out.

Edited March 8, 2013 by TailsIsNotAlone