Glossary
Piracy
Unauthorized copying and sharing of adult media, a long structural pressure on Japanese AV economics and performer privacy.
What it means
Piracy is not only lost sales; it is uncontrolled archive, leak culture, and cross-border circulation that performers cannot easily retract.
History / origin
From tape dubbing to cyberlockers to scraping sites, each tech generation reopened the same conflict between fan convenience and consent.
How the term is used in Japan
Industry groups campaign against piracy; some fans shrug. Ethical criticism increasingly centers performers' inability to exit circulation.
Common misunderstandings
- Piracy is not a victimless archival service.
- Free streams are not identical with licensed paid viewing.
- JPGRL does not list pirate sites.