A multidisciplinary research group at the Institute of Information Law (IViR) at the University of Amsterdam conducted a large-scale empirical social, economic and legal study of Alternative Compensation Systems (ACS), which, for a small monthly fee would legalize currently copyright infringing online practices. We have shown that digital consumers and pirates show strong support for such a non-market based way of paying for digital content, and they are willing to put their money where their mouth is. The ACS idea enjoys considerable legitimacy, and would be welfare enhancing. But it would also completely upset the status quo. What are the consequences?