Humans who run instances are real people who have jobs and mortgages and kids. I also like having piracy communities around to balance the greedy ass corporations trying to control media and copyright…I’m glad to know they are there if I need them or feel like screwing around with it. I just wonder if the people ranting all indignantly acting like instances are competing for their usership would feel the same if the most active instance was on a server physically sitting in their basement, or paid for by money tied to them in the real world. Yes it seems pretty unlikely that you’re ever going to run into issues with law enforcement, copyright claims, lawsuits…but how much would you risk for a fucking hobby you do for free? Would you risk your house? Your job? I would not. Grow up. No one cares what instance you use.
I’m still consistently surprised that so few people seem to have realized that you can just make an alt on another instance that federates with blahaj (or the instance itself) if you feel like it.
And as to the server owner: they’re doing this with donations and out of the goodness of their hearts. That kinda gives them the right to run their server as they see fit. If you don’t like it… either find another instance, make your own, or shut the fuck up.