warez
Sign in to savethumb|Demonstration in support of "fildelning" (file sharing, including of warez), in [[Sweden in 2006.]]
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Article
17 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- Motivations and arguments
- Legality
- Distribution
- Rise of software infringement
- Causes that have accelerated its growth
- Distribution via compromised FTP servers
- Automated warez distribution via IRC bots
- Types
- Movie infringement
- File formats
- Warez and malware
- Demographics
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|Demonstration in support of "fildelning" (file sharing, including of warez), in [[Sweden in 2006.]]
Warez refers to pirated software or other copyrighted digital media—such as video games, movies, music, and e-books—illegally distributed online, often after bypassing digital rights management (DRM). The term, derived from "software", is pronounced like "wares" (). Warez is typically shared via peer-to-peer networks, file-hosting services, and IRC. The global community involved is known as The Scene. Warez culture dates back to the 1980s and remains embedded in online communities. Its distribution generally violates copyright law and continues to raise legal and ethical concerns.