Holt and Copes (2010)
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Source Details
Holt and Copes (2010) | |
Title: | Transferring subcultural knowledge on-line: Practices and beliefs of persistent digital pirates |
Author(s): | Holt, T. J., Copes, H. |
Year: | 2010 |
Citation: | Holt, Thomas J., and Heith Copes. "Transferring subcultural knowledge on-line: Practices and beliefs of persistent digital pirates." Deviant Behavior 31.7 (2010): 625-654. |
Link(s): | Definitive |
Key Related Studies: | |
Discipline: | |
Linked by: | Steinmetz and Tunnell (2013) |
About the Data | |
Data Description: | Semi-structured interviews with 34 individuals (29 males and 5 females between ages of 19 and 34, median 20) active in media piracy. Interviewees resided in Australia, Canada, Holland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Researchers also performed ethnographic observation of online forums (using a major bittorrent site with 6,000 active members, analysis of 300 posts). |
Data Type: | Primary data |
Secondary Data Sources: | |
Data Collection Methods: | |
Data Analysis Methods: | |
Industry(ies): | |
Country(ies): | |
Cross Country Study?: | Yes |
Comparative Study?: | No |
Literature review?: | No |
Government or policy study?: | No |
Time Period(s) of Collection: |
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Funder(s): |
Abstract
Criminal subcultures form around deviant behaviors as a consequence of persistent interactions with like-minded others who facilitate the transmission of norms, values, and belief. Although researchers have explored social interactions in the real world, few have considered how learning occurs through virtual interactions. We address the role of on-line interactions in spreading subcultural knowledge by interviewing 34 persistent digital pirates and performing a non-participant ethnography of an on-line forum devoted to piracy. Our results show that through on-line interactions, pirates learn the norms and values of digital piracy, including how to recognize and avoid risks associated with pirating and how to make sense of and justify their actions. They did not see themselves as members of a piracy subculture, however. These findings show that subcultural knowledge can be transmitted through on-line interactions, even when participants do not fully invest in the group.
Main Results of the Study
Media pirates within hacker subculture share the belief that information should be shared and that illegal downloading is due to bad practices of record companies and does not harm the artist. While they are aware of legal sanctions, these threats do not play a significant role in decision making. Piracy is increasing and becoming more sophisticated; deviant behaviour will change to reflect changing technology. Further, many within the hacking subculture identify more strongly with conventional society, partly due to ease of online participation, allowing spread of subculture values throughout society. This also may explain the widespread neutralization of perceived illegality amongst media pirates.
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
As the threat of legal sanctions play a small role in influencing illegal downloading, emphasizing the industry's assertion of negative impact on artists and addressing the concerns of hacker subcultures may be a more effective deterrent to illegal downloading.
Coverage of Study
Datasets
Sample size: | 34 |
Level of aggregation: | Individual |
Period of material under study: | 2007 |
Sample size: | 300 |
Level of aggregation: | Forum post |
Period of material under study: | 2007 |