Illegal downloads - Part 1 ⛔

               

                 

• One in five downloads music illegally from the internet!
• 26% of people in Ireland don’t download music for free as they prefer physical copies of music/movies.
• 52% of people in Ireland don’t know the penalties and consequences for illegal downloading.
• 44% think that more serious consequences would stop them from downloading illegally from the internet.

Nowadays, internet users are subject to sanctions by some internet providers as some internet providers in Ireland try to establish rules to stop illegal downloading. In particular, UPC has the authority to block users who illegally download music or other files from the internet, but does not rigorously enforce this sanction. Regarding Eircom, the most popular internet provider in Ireland, it has already established this rule and various sites blocked. With Eircom, they state that if you download illegally three times then your contract is terminated. In a recent survey conducted by iReach Insights, 1000 adults were asked all about their behaviour and their opinions regarding illegal downloads. Unsurprisingly, 22% of adults in Ireland download music illegally for free.

Half of adults in Ireland (47%) buy music in store – interestingly females (52%) are more likely to buy so than males (40%). Also, buying music in store is more common in people of 55+ years (60%) than in those of 18-34 years (35%). 40% buy it online, 21% subscribe to paid streaming services and 22% download it illegally for free. This proportion decreases with age. In fact, people of 18-34 years (31%) download more than those of 55+ years (9%).

Among people who don’t download music for free, 35% of don’t because they know it’s illegal. 26% prefer physical copies of music/movies, 25% are worried about downloading a virus and 21% think that is unethical.

In general, one in three (35%) have downloaded something illegally for the internet. Half of people in Ireland (52%) don’t know the penalties and consequences for illegal downloading [Male; 47%, Female; 57%]. 27% know them and 21% are unsure. Of those who have downloaded something illegally from the internet, 44% state that if there were more serious consequences for illegal downloading that this would stop them from doing it. 28% answered “no”, with males (36%) taking more risk than females (17%) and 28% don’t know.

57% think that is the responsibility of internet providers to try and prevent illegal downloading – curiously females (63%) are more likely to think so than males (51%). 36% think that it is the IT security organisations responsibility, 24% think it’s the government’s responsibility and 20% think the responsibility lies with the police. 49% of people think the internet and online illegal downloading isn’t policed well in Ireland. 8% think it’s well policed and 43% are unsure.

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