While there are continuous efforts to try and tackle software and game piracy both online as well as physical copies, two researchers from a UK university find that these efforts are simply not working, after questioning around 2,400 people. While selling pirated copies of CDs and DVDs on a street corner would easily be seen as theft by most consumers, very few actually consider downloading as theft. That is, they would not consider downloading a game to be the same as shoplifting a game from a shop.
The majority of anti-piracy ad campaigns in the UK focus on damage to the software / film industry as well as that purchasing pirated content on the street supports organised crime. However despite widespread publicity of these ads, most consumers simply overlook them as they don't see it as a great problem. As the government spends millions on advertising against drink-driving and smoking, it will take something similar to advertise against software piracy also.
One main reason for consumers to download their games is to avoid the hefty price tags found in the shops, especially when it comes to teenagers who would prefer to spend their money elsewhere. Finally, while the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association may be cracking down heavily on street / market piracy of games, apparently the majority of people would not purchase from these anyway. Instead, most prefer to purchase from people they know well. GristyMcFisty and heystoopid both used our news submit to let us know about the following news:
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Two UK university researchers found that people did not see downloading copyrighted material as theft. The findings are unwelcome news for the games industry, which says it loses more than £2bn annually from piracy. The results of the government-funded study were previewed at a games conference in London. The report, called Fake Nation, is due to be formally presented next week by Dr Jo Bryce of the University of Central Lancashire and Dr Jason Rutter of the University of Manchester. Crime? What crime? The study was commissioned to find out if the anti-piracy message was having an impact on people's attitudes. Most campaigns in the UK have focused on the damage being done by software or film piracy. They have also pushed the idea that consumers are supporting organised crime when they buy a game or DVD from someone in the street. Despite ads in the cinema, magazines and newspapers, the message is falling on deaf ears. Read the full article here. |
The main I see why consumers see physical shoplifting and downloading as two totally different things is due to what happens at the source. If a consumer steals a physical product from the shop, this would mean that the shop is at a loss as they would have to pay for a replacement to restock the stolen item. However, if a consumer downloads from the Internet, the source still remains. It is like going into an art gallery, taking photographs of the art for sale and walking off. As nothing is physically missing from the source, the consumer does not see this as theft.
heystoopid added: Interestingly, the caption photo for this article includes a picture of the very successful DVD release "The Incredibles". The article also went on to advise that in spite of the fact the "The games trade body, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, (Elspa) has a 40-strong anti-piracy unit.", it was only capable of arranging for the confiscation of a mere four million pounds (not €'s) worth of dodgy games software and the conviction of 67 people for selling same (remember the industry claims losses of circa 2 billion pounds pay from dodgy games and software sales, which translates to a huckster in every corner pub in the UK retailing a minimum of between 50 and 100 games per day (man these hucksters would need a very big boot to carry all the variety of stock required)). Given those figures, even the dumbest investigator, would have no problems racking up a conviction of one person per day per pub! Me thinks industry supplied questionable data merely think of a large figure then multiply by 100.
Source: BBC News - Technology
