【Hong Kong Archives】

Pirating content is Hong Kong Archivesmaking a comeback (again) thanks to the streaming wars.

Given the influx of streaming services created to compete with Netflix, such as Disney+, Apple TV Plus, and Peacock, people are now turning back to torrenting their favorite shows instead of paying multiple subscription fees.

This is not a new phenomenon, given pirate radio in the twentieth century and sites like Napster in the early 2000s. And in 2020, it seems easier than ever to pirate whatever show you want.

Enter MSCHF's — the pranksters behind the mystery box and rubber chicken bong — All the Streams.

All the Streams claims to be a "private radio for streaming," and does work as such. You can "turn the dial" and go to channels of the main streaming services, from Hulu to Netflix to Amazon Prime. Like actual pirate radio, you cannot choose what's playing — you just sit back and enjoy.

"We're going to play anything and everything we feel like," explained MSCHF's creative director Kevin Wiesner. "We're going to make a frankensteinian playlist of media that none of these streaming platforms could ever recommend to you because it would cost them the profits of their exclusively-owned content."

Pirating content may be popular again, but it's still not allowed. So it seems entirely likely the whole thing will be shut down soon enough. MSCHF is prepared for this, but hopes to change the fragmentation of the user's streaming experience, even if it's for a short time. Wiesner commented, "All The Streams is made to revel in platform independence, and to demonstrate how even the most lo-fi hacks can be the equal of giants."

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