AfterDawn: News

Movie piracy does nothing but rise

Despite many anti-piracy efforts in the United States, piracy of movies and other types of digital content is still rising sharply, despite claims that litigation against file sharers is "working". The Solutions Research Group has collected the latest available data on P2P file sharing and has come to a startling find about how many people are actually downloading. Specifically, those using P2P file sharing system doubled in figures from 2005 to 2006.

One in five U.S. citizens have pirated a major film and two thirds of them have downloaded a film at least monthly. 80% of overall movie downloaders use so called "unauthorized" services to get their movies for free, as opposed to using a legal solution to get them. This bad news for the two major trade bodies, the RIAA and MPAA, who haver both resorted to legal action against thousands of U.S. citizens.



We reported some days ago that most Americans do not believe that downloading is a serious offense at all. "There is a Robin Hood effect. Most people perceive celebrities and studios to be rich already and as a result don't think of movie downloading as a big deal," said study director Kaan Yigit.

Source:
vnunet.net

Written by: James Delahunty @ 31 Jan 2007 11:09

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• 22 comments

• Auslander

  boo-frickin-hoo for hollywood. gee, i feel so bad that Lars Ulrick can't get his gold encrusted shark tank and Ben Affleck can't get that diamond-encrust Prince Albert.
  
  the strategies used by the MPAA and RIAA are obviously failing, yet somehow they refuse to adapt. it's very apparent that "staying the course" rarely works.
  

  
  
  "I can read, Trebek. That says Anal Bum Cover. I've spent five years of my life trying to invent an anal bum cover. Failing to do so is my greatest regret."
  Trebek: "You have lead a horrifying life."
  Ich bin der Ausländer.
  

  31.1.2007 11:24 #1

• webe123

  And it is going to continue to rise until hollywood gets the message that people are tired of being told what they can and cannot do with the stuff they already OWN.
  
  
  It is also going to rise due to the fact that hollywood has not adressed how to legally obtain first-run movies at theaters online....which accounts for a LOT of piracy.

  31.1.2007 11:38 #2

• b18bek9

  i dont care for either RIAA or MPAA mainly because of how much bullshiet they been starting so i'm glad they are gettin hit in the pocket....

  31.1.2007 11:38 #3

• bobiroc

  Quote:And it is going to continue to rise until hollywood gets the message that people are tired of being told what they can and cannot do with the stuff they already OWN.
  
  
  It is also going to rise due to the fact that hollywood has not adressed how to legally obtain first-run movies at theaters online....which accounts for a LOT of piracy.I tend to agree. Many people are pirating just because they are being told they cannot.

  31.1.2007 11:59 #4

• hughjars

  Quote:Movie piracy does nothing but rise - Imagine my surprise.

  31.1.2007 12:24 #5

• captsteel

  I am really glad that the GORILLA TACTICS of RIAA and MPAA are not working. These two are nothing more than bullies. I really believe in the end of all of this we the consumers, the downloaders the so called pirates will be victorious any way.Long Live the Pirates.

  31.1.2007 12:32 #6

• chubbyInc

  Lower the price of movies! 1 in 5 Americans? given the population is 300 million that would be 60 million people downloading movies 40 million of which are downloading monthly. If they can pinpoint the statistics wouldn't they also be able to catch who is doing all this downloading.
  If the CIA world Fact book is correct 205,326,680 Americans use the internet in 2005
  https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2153rank.html
  
  Which means about 1 in 3 internet users in the US download movies. I guess the RIAA and MPAA have a lot of court orders to hand out.
  

  31.1.2007 12:32 #7

• swarmpack

  what they (the MPAA and riaa) need to do is start a law or something saying you pay us say $200 a year and for one year you can download without any problems.

  31.1.2007 12:39 #8

• ZippyDSM

  if its risen so much why is hollywood still makeing a profit?
  *LOL*

  31.1.2007 13:31 #9

• Auslander

  honestly, we don't have the facts. a lot of money doesn't go accounted for. i believe they're a lot richer than they've even let on and simply cringing from the slightest withdrawal.
  
  it's illegal to shoot heroine, even if you feel megawithdrawals. if only it could be illegal to be a greedy parasitic corporation... :-P

  31.1.2007 13:35 #10

• 3085

  after we read this our we supposed to believe that we are making movie stars go broke?

  31.1.2007 14:00 #11

• rbrock

  ARRG...!

  31.1.2007 14:58 #12

• spiesfan

  wow obvious

  31.1.2007 14:58 #13

• solarf

  Hollywood just needs to chill. they are being greedy thats it, How many billions of dollars did they make last year??? A lot.

  1.2.2007 12:38 #14

• buck66m

  Tough SHIT to you whining YANKS.
  
  The sooner you lot stop telling the rest of the world how to live their lives, the better off we'll all be. How typical for yet another major corporation to try to tell the small man what he can do in his own home.
  
  Just be done with it, it's never going to be controlable. Live with the fact that your fat wallet will still get fatter, the poor man will still be poor and Americans will still be idiots!

  1.2.2007 17:36 #15

• rbrock

  Hey enough about the Amercians we are not talking about where we live where talking about movies .D.A.!

  2.2.2007 11:34 #16

• chubbyInc

  Buck66m sure had it out for someone,
  Yanks? that must be a european slang word. Correct me if I'm wrong

  3.2.2007 07:51 #17

• Steve83

  Dela
  How about changing the way you word your headlines???
  
  "Movie piracy CLAIMS BY THE MPAA do nothing but rise, JUST LIKE THEIR PROFITS"

  4.2.2007 07:42 #18

• aed

  buck66m, im an american and i would like to stick it to hollywood as much if not more than most. i suggest you read everthing in its entirety before posting. and if you want to sling mud i can do that as well you bloody limey. lol lol lol

  4.2.2007 12:24 #19

• algeo37

  You mean people are d-loading movies illegally? Geez! Is that like importing illegal aliens to work dirt cheap for big business?

  4.2.2007 12:37 #20

• Xenores

  Movie industry is retarded...

  6.2.2007 08:32 #21

• ematrix

  If this survey is accurate, it indicates that less than 15% of consumers are P2P downloading movies, this only proofs that P2P is not to blame for piracy, and their effords to fight piracy should not be focused at consumers homes.
  
  I remember reading a survey last year, which showed that only 1 in 5 consumers purchased legally their movies and music, which means that only 20% of consumers owns legal copies; if you compare this to the results of the recent survey, proofs that the real problem is pirated copies on the streets, not P2P downloading.
  
  Instead of suing consumers, they should be attacking the pirates that sell their copies on the streets, those are the ones who are making a profit from their goods, but so far they have done little to nothing to stop them.
  
  Also the best way to stop piracy (and in this case, P2P downloading) is to make your product free DRM and accesible to all consumers, specially by lowering their prices to the point that is more appealing to buy them legally, rather that getting them on the streets.
  
  Any business man knows that you lose money each day your product is collecting dust on stores, because you're not only losing your profit, also you're not getting back the money you invested in making the product.
  
  But how can they expect all consumers to download music, movies and TV shows legally or purchase legal copies on retail stores, when you still see guys selling pirated copies on the streets? when they are reluctant to lower their exagerated prices? when they are reluctant to offer free DRM music, TV shows and movies for download?

  7.2.2007 10:30 #22