Kantar TNS (2018)
Contents
Source Details
| Kantar TNS (2018) | |
| Title: | Study of Online Consumption of Copyrighted Content: Attitudes Toward and Prevalence of Copyright Infringement in Canada |
| Author(s): | Kantar TNS |
| Year: | 2018 |
| Citation: | Kantar TNS (2018) Study of Online Consumption of Copyrighted Content: Attitudes Toward and Prevalence of Copyright Infringement in Canada. Final report prepared for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Available: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/112.nsf/eng/07648.html (last accessed: 24 May 2019) |
| Link(s): | Open Access |
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| About the Data | |
| Data Description: | The data consists of a survey of 3,301 Canadian consumers (aged 12-64) conducted online and via telephone. The methodology was adapted from the UKIPO Online Copyright Infringement Tracker, with regional amendments specific to Canada. Participants were selected via regional and proportionate age quotas, with final results having weighting adjustments. The data is also compare alongside comparable studies conducted in the UK and Australia. |
| Data Type: | Primary data |
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| Cross Country Study?: | No |
| Comparative Study?: | Yes |
| Literature review?: | No |
| Government or policy study?: | Yes |
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Abstract
“Innovation, Science and Economic Development in partnership with Canadian Heritage commissioned Kantar TNS to conduct a public opinion research survey of Canadians' consumption of copyrighted content online. The purpose of the survey was to generate impartial data to better understand the prevalence of copyright infringement in Canada and what attitudes and conditions drive consumer behaviour. 3,301 Canadians aged 12 years and over were surveyed online and by telephone in November 2017. This publication reports on the findings of that public opinion research survey.”
Main Results of the Study
• Most consumers surveyed consumed content wholly legally (74%), with 26% of consumers having consumed at least one illegal file, and 5% consuming exclusively illegal files. eBooks and music files were most likely to be consumed legally (70% and 68% respectively), whereas movies (36%), software (36%), TV shows (34%) and video games (33%) were more likely to be consumed illegally.
• Consumers cite convenience (48%), speed (36%) and quality (34%) as the main driving factors towards consuming legal content, with (correspondingly) infringing consumers also citing convenience (40%) and speed (34%) as motivators to infringe. Infringement notices have mixed effects in disincentivising illegal consumption, with 24% discontinuing such behaviour, but equally 24% ignoring the notice in its entirety. Similarly, there appears to be little influence of demographic factors in influencing likelihood to infringe. Instead, consumers suggest incentives to infringe would be lower if content was available cheaply (58%) and with wider availability of legal content (47%).
• New means of infringement are also noted, with 11% of consumers using stream-ripping services, 21% using VPNs, and 10% using set-top boxes (notably with the latter being used primarily to access already owned content – 78%).
• In comparison with other countries, whilst Canadians apparently consume more digital content overall (80% compared to Australia (69%) and UK (59%)), infringement levels are also amongst the lowest (26% compared to Australia (38%) and UK (25%)).
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
The report does not provide any explicit policy recommendations, instead citing the evidence as impartial data to help inform policymakers. Note is made that consumers cite lower costs and wider availability of legal content as disincentives to infringe, with infringement notices having only minimal effect.
