bitlegging

English

Etymology

Blend of bit +‎ bootlegging.

Noun

bitlegging (uncountable)

1. (technology, informal) Digital piracy.
   • 1999, Carl Shapiro, Hal R[onald] Varian, Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy, Boston, M.A.: Harvard Business School Press, →ISBN, page 92:

     If people can take your content without compensation, where do the revenues come from? "Bitlegging" can't be ignored: there's no doubt that it can be a significant drag on profits. Luckily, there are some compensating factors.

   • 1999 March 11, John Graham-Cumming, “Make your PC really sing”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2014-05-08:

     Of course, downloading a ripped-off version of, say, the All Saints' Never Ever is the digital equivalent of bootlegging (bitlegging?). But MP3.com advises a legal alternative: buy the CD then use a "ripper" to create an MP3 file for your own use.

   • 1999 August 20, ewhac, “First person convicted of U.S. Internet piracy”, in Slashdot‎^[2], archived from the original on 2023-08-10:

     Bitlegging is NOT theft.

   • 2006 November 26, Manisha Singh, “Lexicon techs all”, in The Economic Times‎^[3], Mumbai: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 April 2024:

     Every passing year generates a wealth of new online terms: Companies can go 'viral' to reach thousands of customers with their advert or marketing message, or can try 'slivercasting' to target a small audience. There's also been an increase in blegging, bitlegging and splogging (a blend of spam and blog).

   • [2007 May 16, Lawrence Wallis, “An increasing fetish for offlish”, in PrintWeek‎^[4], archived from the original on 2024-04-28:

     'Bitlegging' describes the unlicensed downloading of copyright material, while 'ransomware' denotes programs that illegally encrypt personal files to prevent access.]

Usage notes

• The term is mainly used in reference to Shapiro and Varian's 1999 book (see quotation above), and has faded into obscurity since the 2000s.