Davey Winder
Monday, 21 July 2008 20:00
Business IT -
Networking
Page 2 of 4
The always-on and everywhere computing culture that
broadband penetration in a country such as the UK enjoys, drives a new
wave of digital piracy, Microsoft argues. And it is the children that
are at the steering wheel. The Real Thing survey shows that using file
sharing networks to access music, video and computer software is much
more common amongst 11-16 year olds than it is in adults. Which should
come as no surprise to anyone, especially as those same children are
much more likely to turn to the Internet for their entertainment than
traditional media technologies.
Microsoft does concede that "much of their file
sharing may be perfectly above board" but extrapolates from the
revelation that 61 percent of children asked had knowingly bought
pirated goods, that it would be surprising if "a proportion of their
downloads" were not illegal. Well yes, and with file sharing popular
amongst 54 percent of the kids asked, compared to just 15 percent of
adults, you can say with some certainty that more kids are likely to be
involved in that potential for piracy than adults.
But that is all a bit smokes and mirrors, and really proves nothing.
For sure it does not tell us anything we didn't already know. However,
another trend revealed by the Microsoft survey is more interesting and
has a little more meat on the statistical bone: increasingly, younger
generations are choosing free versions of digital property wherever
possible. The Real Thing says that almost 60 percent of the children
questioned responded that they opt for pirated goods. The reason is as
expected, because legal versions are too expensive.
What does the Head of
Anti-Piracy at Microsoft UK have to say about the survey findings? Read on to find out...
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