Ofcom (2012)
Contents
Source Details
Ofcom (2012) | |
Title: | Online copyright infringement tracker benchmark study Q3 2012 |
Author(s): | Ofcom |
Year: | 2012 |
Citation: | OFCOM, Online copyright infringement tracker benchmark study Q3 2012, 2012 |
Link(s): | Definitive , Open Access |
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About the Data | |
Data Description: | The main characteristics of the data are as follows:
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Cross Country Study?: | No |
Comparative Study?: | No |
Literature review?: | No |
Government or policy study?: | Yes |
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Abstract
This report details the main findings of a large-scale consumer tracking study into the extent of online copyright infringement, as well as wider digital behaviours and attitudes, among people aged 12+ in the UK. The study was commissioned by Ofcom, undertaken by Kantar Media and made possible by financial support from the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO). It is the first in a series of research waves intended to generate benchmarks and time series relevant to the access and use of copyright material online. The research stemmed from a recommendation in the 2011 Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth that Ofcom should not wait until its formal reporting duties arising from the Digital Economy Act began to start gathering independent data and establishing trends in the area of online copyright. Government adopted this recommendation and tasked Ofcom and IPO to work together to conduct research to gather the necessary evidence. This report is the result of this partnership.
Main Results of the Study
- One in six (16%) UK internet users aged 12+ were estimated to have downloaded or streamed/accessed at least one item of online content illegally3 over the 3 month period May-July 2012.4 A quarter of these (4%) only consumed illegal content.5
- Levels of infringement varied significantly by content type; our survey indicated that 8% of internet users aged 12+ consumed some music illegally over the three month period, while 6% did so for films. For video games and computer software the figure was just 2%.
- When looking only at those internet users who had consumed any content online over the three month period, 31% of those consuming any film content and 23% of those consuming any music content had done so illegally. Books had the lowest incidence of illegal consumption among those who had consumed any e-books online, at 11%.
- Online copyright infringers across all the content types were more likely to be male (58%), 16-34 (64%) and ABC1 (62%).
- Overall volumes of illegal content consumed online varied by category. Volumes were highest for computer software (47% of all computer software products consumed online were estimated to be illegally obtained), followed by films (35%) and music (26%), whereas it was lowest for books (12%).
- The survey data shows that for music, film and TV programmes, those who consumed a mixture of legal and illegal content claimed to spend more on that type of content over the 3-month period than those who consumed 100% legally or 100% illegally.
- When asking infringers why they download or stream/access content illegally, the most common reasons cited for doing so were because it is free (54%), convenient (48%) and quick (44%). Close to a quarter (26%) of infringers also said they do it because it means they can try before they buy.
- Factors that infringers said would encourage them to stop infringing included the availability of cheaper legal services (39%), if everything they wanted was available legally (32%) and if it was clearer what is legal and what isn’t (26%).
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
It is important to remember that consumer research offers only one perspective on levels of online copyright infringement. For a complete view of infringement levels, it needs to be considered alongside direct measurement of infringing behaviour on file-sharing websites and available industry data (e.g. network traffic volumes by protocol). Ofcom expects to consider a variety of data sources in the future as part of its Digital Economy Act reporting duties.
Coverage of Study
Datasets
Sample size: | 4400 |
Level of aggregation: | Individual |
Period of material under study: | 2011-2012 |
Sample size: | 5099 |
Level of aggregation: | Individual |
Period of material under study: | 2011-2012 |