Daily Research News Online no. 2733 - Attitudes to Downloading Music

Attitudes to Downloading Music

November 11 2003

Americans' awareness of the illegality of downloading music and films has risen steeply since earlier this year, not surprisingly given recent lawsuits filed against consumers by the RIAA. However, 50 per cent of respondents to surveys by E-Poll had downloaded music at some time.

Two studies were conducted in April and October 2003, and the proportion who had downloaded music remained at a similar level for both. About 12 per cent say they have downloaded a feature film.

Among teens, percentages are much higher - c.70% have downloaded music and about 25% have downloaded a movie. Teen awareness of the law concerning file sharing has risen particularly sharply, although they are still less likely to know it is illegal than the population as a whole.

Percentages saying it is against the law to download without artist / label permission

	All Respondents		Teens 13-17
	April '03	October '03	April '03	October '03
Music	43.5%	51.8%	27.5%	43.1%
Feature Films	44.5%	55.6%	37.7%	49.2%

Teens are less likely to regard it as morally wrong to download music without permission, although their position on this has shifted further than the population as a whole since April. A higher proportion of teens think downloading movies is wrong, than downloading music.

Percentages who 'think it's wrong' to download music or movies without permission

	All Respondents		Teens 13-17
	April '03	October '03	April '03	October '03
Music	42.8%	47.4%	20.3%	32.6%
Feature Films	50.1%	57.2%	39.6%	48.5%

Consumers were also asked whether they agreed that the RIAA should be filing lawsuits. Almost two thirds think it shouldn't (62.4%). Presumably this means there are a number who think that it's wrong and illegal but don't think it should actually be stopped...

Solutions are hard to come by. Consumers were given three possible options for tackling the problem and their preferences were as follows - not surprisingly perhaps, reduction in CD prices is top of their list:

Which of the following music purchasing alternatives would be most appealing?