There is another argument against Region Coding which is seldom used, but, in a way, it is unintentional cultural censorship. Most Americans don’t care about Region Codes because America has one of largest (if not the largest) selection of movies to watch in the world on DVD. When you do a search on the internet on interest in Region Free DVD players, it is typically from movie viewers in European countries who want to watch Region 1 DVDs. I think Americans should care more about how movies are Region Coded. Not only do people around the world face some difficulties in watching our movies (and the MPAA wants it that way!), but we face difficulties in being able to watch movies from around the world. Forget that a lot of Indies from around the world will never see the soil of another country because they’re not profitable the way blockbusters are.

I’d actually argue that is one of the reasons why American perception of others around the world is so myopic. It may sound silly to use movies to be a window to the world. But consider that movies are probably the most widely indulged of pop culture media, some might even say artform, in the world. It certainly might have something to do with how others around the world view America (case in point, the blockbuster success “Transformers”…Big, Loud, Obnoxious, Ignorant of Other Cultures).

I’m willing to bet Region Codes have dissuaded people from watching viewers from buying movies they would have otherwise enjoyed. Which means, for those who are not internet savvy (those who are know there that there are resources to watch things…piracy of course being one of them), will only be able to view movies that are deemed fit to be imported and shown to American audiences. How is that not cultural censorship?

Cheers from Sweden!

/Thomas Tvivlaren (Member of Swedish Pirate Party)

http://thepiratesdilemma.com/