A customer insight report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) recently found that 38% of consumers are still obtaining music illegally. Based on a study conducted by the IFPI in which they surveyed 16 to 64-year-olds in 18 countries, the top three forms of copyright infringement are stream-ripping (32%), downloads through cyberlockers or P2P (23%), and search engine findings (17%).
Why are consumers still pirating music? According to the IFPI study, stream-rippers are pirating music because they want to listen to music offline without having to pay for a premium subscription. As technology advances, pirating music will remain a common way for consumers to acquire music.
A study at University of Nevada Las Vegas, under direction of psychology researcher Joanne Ullman, tested 220 undergraduate college students’ reactions to a variety of words, phrases, and symbols. The study found that possible government surveillance and threats towards privacy were just as effective as large fines, and pairing the two was exceedingly effective. Ullman hopes that this study provides options to help fight music piracy and educate the public about it.
