Online Piracy's Great Comeback

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During the 2010s piracy enjoyed a golden age: BitTorrent handled a third of all internet traffic, Limewire outpaced Facebook in monthly users, and the Pirate Bay was a go‑to source for virtually any content. The shift from physical to digital media made it clear that digital goods could be copied endlessly at nearly nil marginal cost. At its peak, ninety‑five percent of music downloads were pirated, driven by the allure of cheaper and easier access to large libraries enabled by affordable digital storage. However, the momentum faded. Despite faster internet, cheaper storage, and growing computer proficiency, peer‑to‑peer sharing fell in popularity after 2015. Streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix offered cleaner alternatives, though many argue they have deteriorated in service quality and pricing. As these services slip, piracy is making a comeback, but the story is more complex. The industry anticipated these shifts, masking the return of piracy while shaping the market.