According to your values, is illegally downloading a song, TV show, or movie immoral?

[badtoworse]

153. Interesting article and a good analysis

I'd say you're correct in that illegal and immoral are not necessarily synonymous in this context. The article identified four different scenarios and noted that three of the four are technically illegal, but not all are harmful. To be immoral, it seems to me that the copying would have to be both illegal and harmful. Assuming that is the case:

Scenario A (copying to avoid paying) is clearly immoral.

Scenario B (copying to sample) is not immoral, provided you either buy the item or delete the copy if you don't buy. If you do neither, B defaults to A.

Scenario C (copying out of print material) is in a grey area. The IP is still owned, but since it's no longer being sold, the owner is not being harmed. At the same time, the owner may wish to reissue the material, and rampant copying could deprive him of that opportunity.

Scenario D (copying material for which the owner has given permission) is neither illegal or immoral.

The OP said "illegally" copying, so I interpreted that as meaning only Scenario A. I agree it's not that simple and you need to know more in order to make an informed determination.

Once again, thanks for a good link.