Half of all UK children are pirates

Half of all UK children are pirates
According to a new study from the UK-based security company GSS, about 50 percent of all UK children use file sharing networks to trade unauthorized music, and know that what they are doing is illegal.

Says the report: "When questioned about the legalities of downloading music, nearly all of the children understood that there were legal and illegal methods that could be used to download music. Over half admitted to using P2P software to download music illegally rather than using programs such as iTunes."



Making the survey more interesting is the fact that GSS is not a trade group related to the RIAA or any other anti-piracy outfit. They are a security firm which specialized in corporate IT security and the firm believes that music sharing kids are a new danger for security.

Backing that statement up, GSS says that 20 percent of the kids asked admitted to accidentally downloading viruses from their P2P network of choice. Since viruses spread so easily, GSS says all it takes is one parent and an email account or a flash drive to possibly bring the virus to the workplace.

"An organisation's security is only as strong as its weakest link, and the home PC may be a huge threat to an organisation's data."


Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 7 Mar 2009 11:42
Advertisement - News comments available below the ad
  • 17 comments
  • tefarko

    yeah, yeah, blame it on P2P...

    how about the virus/trojans/malware you can get thru Windows' security holes?

    how about the virus/trojans/malware you can get from legal sites that were infected thru the above security holes?

    how about the virus/trojans/malware we all get thru e-mail by the hu
    ndreds every day?

    they may not be related to the RIAA but their "study" is pretty biased...

    7.3.2009 14:10 #1

  • lamain

    Quote:
    "An organisation's security is only as strong as its weakest link, and the home PC may be a huge threat to an organisation's data."

    I guess you could say they are blaming it on P2P. I see the blame more on the fact that the people do not know how to avoid a virus or detect that they have one.

    The basic idea that the home computer is a threat to the work place seems spot on to me.

    7.3.2009 14:45 #2

  • vballstud

    Makes sense that the other 50% are ninjas then... nice to see the ongoing battle is a fair one.

    7.3.2009 15:22 #3

  • jimfitter

    I always love to read about a big player in internet security using scare tactics to drum up business. I'm sure their poll was unbiased and accurate.

    Wait...big player??? Who the f*ck is GSS?

    7.3.2009 15:42 #4

  • weedude99

    I would say its more like 80% to be honest. I don't think I can name anyone at school that has not used limewire at some point or another for music. I think I might be the only one that doesn't, but that is probably due to not having an ipod.

    7.3.2009 20:18 #5

  • ZippyDSM

    And most corporate suits are dumb asses, so whats new?
    I mean come on check out the prices in the UK no wonder kids are looking for a alternative....

    8.3.2009 01:28 #6

  • beanos66

    90% of all U.K. children lie on surveys.

    See I can make numbers up as well

    8.3.2009 08:21 #7

  • ps3lvanub

    I download music, programs and films using BitTorrent and Limewire and I am proud to say that I have had just 2 viruses from illegally downloading dodgy stuff, and that both viruses were eradicated within the hour of infection. And I'm 14. Score 1 for initiative.

    8.3.2009 08:33 #8

  • Ransack

    This is just the norm in these times. Pirates are everywhere and nothing is going to change that. I'm just wondering where they got these numbers from? Anyone can make up stats if there not from a original source. In all honestly who really cares anyways when it is never going to stop!

    8.3.2009 16:30 #9

  • dcity

    I bet that 50% of all children in the whole of western civilization use P2P, because I no we are not just the only country!!!

    9.3.2009 04:53 #10

  • OneMember

    Originally posted by beanos66: 90% of all U.K. children lie on surveys.

    See I can make numbers up as well
    I'm not from U.K. but I don't think I have never give right info in any survey I have made... Dunno how many study has go wrong because of me :p

    9.3.2009 04:59 #11

  • suffering

    give them a break, 90% of people have on their computers at least one pirated mp3, software, movie, we all should go to jail.
    How about pirate mp3 as ringtones in cell phones, we all have them, should we be punished for that?


    9.3.2009 06:30 #12

  • craftyzan

    On a survey I'd lie my....off! Besides, Firefox has nifty little tools for ripping tunes right off Shoutcast to fill up mp3 players that you can then cut up and edit out all the road apples you don't want including the adverts, gabby DJ's, and the rotten songs.

    9.3.2009 12:04 #13

  • domie

    50 % of Uk kids are pirates ? maybe but what is even more sure is that 99 % are chavs and rude ungrateful little sods to boot !

    9.3.2009 16:29 #14

  • vballstud

    I think I'll buy stock in companies that produce these...





    Afterdawns e-Thug
    I have no tolerance for idiots... or people that dont know how to use Google.

    9.3.2009 18:23 #15

  • plazma247


    umm use the force, pirate you will become yes.

    11.3.2009 05:40 #16

  • chrissd

    Originally posted by tefarko: yeah, yeah, blame it on P2P...

    how about the virus/trojans/malware you can get thru Windows' security holes?

    how about the virus/trojans/malware you can get from legal sites that were infected thru the above security holes?

    how about the virus/trojans/malware we all get thru e-mail by the hu
    ndreds every day?

    they may not be related to the RIAA but their "study" is pretty biased...


    Actually, torrents are a really popular way to infect people. I have a bot kit. Not only does it have moddable worms to turn a computer into a zombie ready to DOS on command, it also includes instructions to maximise bot spreading. They are: Get the latest popular torrent, mod it to include your worm of choice, upload and seed.

    Get ready to get done over. ;-P

    14.3.2009 00:22 #17

© 2024 AfterDawn Oy

Hosted by
Powered by UpCloud