Mandel and Suessmuth (2012)
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Source Details
Mandel and Suessmuth (2012) | |
Title: | Determinants of Digital Piracy: A Re-Examination of Results |
Author(s): | Mandel, P., Suessmuth, B. |
Year: | 2012 |
Citation: | Mandel, P. and Suessmuth, B. 2012. Determinants of Digital Piracy: A Re-Examination of Results. Jahrbucher Fur Nationalokonomie Und Statistik, 232, 394-413. |
Link(s): | Definitive , Open Access |
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About the Data | |
Data Description: | We conducted our survey during the seven months from April to October 2006. The participants were recruited online and offline. More than 1500 emails containing a URL directing to our survey’s web page were sent. This was the case in October 2006 when 222 subjects had participated. The implied response rate was about 15%. |
Data Type: | Primary data |
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Cross Country Study?: | No |
Comparative Study?: | No |
Literature review?: | No |
Government or policy study?: | No |
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Abstract
This paper empirically investigates determinants of digital piracy in Germany for several types of digitized products. To this end we rely on a survey comprising behavior and attitudes at the individual level. The sample matches some demographic characteristics of the German population with high-speed internet access with regard to gender and age composition. It also maps the share of foreign nationals in Germany. Self-selection in the drawing of our sample is assessed by a control experiment. In contrast to existing studies, we sharply discriminate between frequency and extent of pirating digital media. We find no significant gender difference in the propensity to pirate. However, male individuals are prone to pirate at a significantly larger scale.We attribute this finding to male individuals acting more frequently as hubs in the social prestige enhancing distribution of pirated media. It is particularly important in the light of the recent development of the distribution process from peer-to-peer online networks to offline forms of file swapping. Our findings are confirmed by recent piracy related crime statistics of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (Bundeskriminalamt).
Main Results of the Study
- We find no significant gender difference in the propensity to pirate.
- However, male individuals are prone to pirate at a significantly larger scale.We attribute this finding to male individuals acting more frequently as hubs in the social prestige enhancing distribution of pirated media. It is particularly important in the light of the recent development of the distribution process from peer-to-peer online networks to offline forms of file swapping. Our findings are confirmed by recent piracy related crime statistics of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (Bundeskriminalamt).
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
As we identified a gender gap for the extent but not for the frequency of pirating , our findings do not justify the current practice of campaign policies exclusively aimed at deterring male individuals. Against the recent finding of offline mp3 file sharing showing positive net effects on music CD consumption through sampling effects, the current practise of integrating the major occurrences of digital piracy in campaigns is questionable. Combining these insights with our findings suggest to refrain from deterring file swapping in the case of digital music and to consider campaigns addressing male as well as female individuals.
Coverage of Study
Datasets
Sample size: | 222 |
Level of aggregation: | Individual |
Period of material under study: | 2006 |