Morality Police: Scanning UPCs

[Dave Gray]

Similar to our previous morality discussion, here's another one that's related.

Many digital movie distributors have a program where you can pay them money to supplement a movie you own with a digital HD version of that same product.

So, let's say you own Bad Boys on DVD -- you scan the UPC on the case and pay $5 to own it in HDX.    Or you can pay $2 to own it in SD.
If you own it on Blu Ray, you scan the UPC code and can pay $2 to own it in HDX.

How would you feel about someone photographing the UPC code for a movie they don't own with the intent of upgrading to a digital version -- that they did from a thrift store or that they got online?

(I cannot say for sure, but I believe that these codes cannot be scanned twice for the same movie.)

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Theft.  Plain and simple.

[Dave Gray]

Really, I find this one totally legit, without even really a gray area of morality.  This seems less egregious to me, since it's something you're paying for.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Really, I find this one totally legit, without even really a gray area of morality.  This seems less egregious to me, since it's something you're paying for.

Buying the disc gives you the right to pay extra for an upgrade.  You didn’t buy the disc so you have no right for the upgrade.  And you are denying the rightful purchaser the right to the upgrade.

[Fau Teixeira]

UPCs aren't unique identifier, i fail to see how you're denying anyone anything

Also buying something gives you the right to buy a 2nd thing is a very imaginative way of looking at it.

Not to be overly reductive, but if you want to buy A and person B owns A and sells you A, then you've bought A. Eligibility requirements be damned.

[Dave Gray]

UPCs aren't unique identifier, i fail to see how you're denying anyone anything

If that's the case, then I guess you can buy the same movie over and over with one UPC.  I was unsure about that.  I've never done it, nor do I intend to.  I know someone that does.

[Brian Fein]

Buying the disc gives you the right to pay extra for an upgrade.  You didn’t buy the disc so you have no right for the upgrade.  And you are denying the rightful purchaser the right to the upgrade.

False.
Every DVD of Bad Boys has the same UPC barcode on it.  They are not unique.

[Brian Fein]

If that's the case, then I guess you can buy the same movie over and over with one UPC.  I was unsure about that.  I've never done it, nor do I intend to.  I know someone that does.

but why would you want to?  I guess 10 different people could buy the same movie using one DVD copy, but I can't imagine a reason why YOU would want to buy the same title more than once.  You still have to pay for the digital copy.

[Dave Gray]

but why would you want to?

I wasn't suggesting that one person buys multiple copies;  I was suggesting that if one person owned the disc proper, that several friends could buy their own codes from that one disc.

[Phishfan]

Fo weigh in on a UPC code, it is correct they are not unique identifiers but every Bad Boys has the same code.  I think every one from Walmart has the same code but every one from Target has a different code that matches their chain. I may be mistaken though.

[Pappy13]

I don't see this as any different from the other scenario. The purpose seems to be to provide the rightful owner of the disk the ability to get a digital copy. Whether you are charged for that copy or not I don't really see as making any difference from a morality perspective.

[Spider-Dan]

In the other scenario, using the code prevents any future buyer from being able to use the code.  In this case, using the UPC does not, since thousands of UPCs are identical.

[Pappy13]

In the other scenario, using the code prevents any future buyer from being able to use the code.  In this case, using the UPC does not, since thousands of UPCs are identical.

Ah, OK that does make a difference. Yeah in that case you're not really preventing the next person to own the disk from being able to get a digital copy so that does change things.