File-Sharing Kids: “I really don’t care, it’s not my problem. Singers and actors are rich enough”
Written by enigmax on August 13, 2007According to a study into children’s safety and how they use the internet, European kids appear to have a basic grasp of the law when it comes to file-sharing. However, they aren’t really bothered by it and just carry on downloading - music in particular.
The ‘Eurobarometer’ study covers many aspects of electronic communication used by kids between the ages of 9 and 14 but of course, we’re interested in the internet section and in particular, file-sharing.
When asked how they ‘learned’ how to use the internet, many of the children said they couldn’t remember - an indication of how early in a child’s life computers are introduced these days and summed up nicely by a 9-10 year old boys group from the Netherlands: “There is nothing to learn” and from a group of German boys: “It is in my blood. I am a computer freak.”
Most say that they were shown the basics but went on to teach themselves and other people, including their parents: “My parents do not teach me, I teach them!” (Boys group, 12-14 years, Ireland)
In respect of file-sharing, the 9-10 year old groups didn’t show much interest, the complete opposite of the 12-14 year olds, especially the boys who really enjoyed downloading new games.
It’s obvious from the samples given in the report that those kids questioned in the older groups had some grasp of the law relating to file-sharing. However, the bad news for those planning on enforcing copyright law on them when they become adults is that they don’t really care about it. Right across the European countries questioned, for the kids, awareness of the law didn’t really translate into a concern for operating within it.
Amongst the kids there was generally an attitude of “everyone is doing it, so i’ll do it too”. Add this to the fact that many kids watch their parents file-sharing: “Dad does it all the time” (Girls group, 12-14 years old from Norway), there’s a real challenge for the media companies in trying to get these kids to stop or change habits in the future.
A group of 9-10 year old Belgian girls share the opinions of millions of file-sharers world-wide when they said: “But I do not understand that it is illegal”.
The older boys group (12-14 years) from Denmark said: “It’s illegal, but it does not look like it is illegal” while the girls from the same age group in Belgium proclaimed: “It is wrong but not our fault”.
Almost nailing current perception of European copyright law, the 12-14 year old boys group in Finland claimed “Downloading is illegal, it is not punishable whereas sharing the files is punishable”. It’s generally felt that downloading is not an offense in Europe, where uploading probably is.
The French boys get it totally right when they said: “People download, but if is just for themselves, it is less serious than downloading for burning and reselling”. Indeed, selling copyright material is generally a criminal offense whereas file-sharing is nearly always a civil issue in Europe.
The older boys from the UK could be forgiven for coming to the conclusion they came to: “I don’t really feel guilty. It wouldn’t be on the Internet if it was like really illegal, they wouldn’t have it there”.
The older Czech boys felt that paying for stuff wasn’t necessary: “They have a lot of money ! They don’t need my money”, an opinion shared by the Italians: “I really don’t care, it’s not my problem. Singers and actors are rich enough”.
Having paid their ISP for their internet connection, the 12-14 year old boys from Portugal feel they have done their part: “We pay because we are spending megabits!”
Most of the children when questioned said they intend to carry on downloading and nothing is likely to stop them, however something that continually crops up in the internet part of the report is the concern the children have for downloading a virus. Indeed this is their major concern, although a 9-10 year old boys group from Slovakia had a solution:
“… Just download anti-virus software.”
The report can be downloaded here.
Thanks to Chris Pirillo for the great artwork
Previously: Suprnova: What Will Change and What Will Remain The Same?
Next: Torrentz.com: Growing Bigger and Better
93 Responses (Add yours or TrackBack)
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First.
Ahh,
there is hope for the future at last.
Just wait until those kids take over power.
First of all, ma1kel’s post is entirely useless and immature. It has nothing to do with the article posted. Get some IQ points and post something relevant to the discussion.
Back to the article. I find it very surprising that many children don’t care about the consequences about what they are doing. If they do get caught, their parents will get sued for it. This should be worrying for the companies but I do hope that they should be more careful about it. I am not exactly taking sides here.
“I really don’t care, it’s not my problem. Singers and actors are rich enough”
^^ That one is priceless. True, they are rich. But the media companies just want some large pieces of that income by wasteful suing and eating up peoples’ taxes.
When I mean “they”, I mean the children. (This comment section really needs an edit button)
[quote comment="146289"]I find it very surprising that many children don’t care about the consequences about what they are doing. If they do get caught, their parents will get sued for it[/quote]
True, but I think the kids have a fairly accurate perception of how likely it is that they’ll be caught. The chances of standing in court answering a case like this are many multi-millions to one. I think the kids know it, based on the fact that they didn’t get caught so far, even after filling a hard drive with downloaded stuff.
@ColdFission…
The consequences for downloading are not the same in Canada etc.. They are pretty serious about targeting peeps in the United States… I think its a little different everywhere else.. Its the people who want 2 bend down and give in to the RIAA\MPAA etc (from pre lit emails etc) who end up paying them (as you pointed out)…
Do you really think kids don’t use Limewire or Bittorrent?
I’m 13 and I’ve used p2p software since I was 10.
µTorrent ftw
Well, age doesn’t surprise me at all. Children from 9 to seniors around their 70’s use some sort of P2P. A large majority of students at a high school I go to, Grades 8 through 12 use P2P, majority using LimeWire. (I personally don’t like LimeWire, I use eMule and micro {also pronounced “mue”} torrent)
And yes, the Laws here in Canada are very different from the U.S. But I am happy that Canadian theatres are pulling on some stops to prevent cameras in theatres. But I am concerned that the media companies there are pushing Canada to do some more reinforcing, I don’t want my privacy being breached. IIRC, some movies will be delayed coming to Canada, I mean, she is one of the largest contributers to piracy. Up there with China and numerous European countries.
But I do want to reinforce that children, teenagers, adults, and seniors NEED to be cautious. No matter what reasoning or excuse they use in order to justify their downloading, they will get sued sooner or later, or maybe never.
Just hope they won’t sue you when you are in your grave, 6 feet under.
However, since more and more Children exist and are downloading, I doubt more courts will succumb to the witch hunting done by the media/anti-p2p companies. It is really just wasting time and money.
In the end, the real solution for piracy is to make no media at all (ie music, live shows, movies). Piracy does have roots was back. I do remember my dad recording live TV onto VHS.
But, I digress.
Been around since Napster first started :)
[quote comment="146283"]First.[/quote]
I really hate these fucking assholes who think they’re cool because they can write FUCKING SPAM AND GET THE FIRST FUCKING COMMENT JESUS FUCKING CHRIST
[quote comment="146341"][quote comment="146283"]First.[/quote]
I really hate these fucking assholes who think they’re cool because they can write FUCKING SPAM AND GET THE FIRST FUCKING COMMENT JESUS FUCKING CHRIST[/quote]
HOLY FUCK MOTHER FUCKER
Seriously, what a retard.
Wowsers… egnough with the swearing lol…
@ Fission…
I agree everybody should be cautious… Its why i recommend using PeerGuardian 2 !!! Everybody should have it…
The internet is ABOUT sharing and it should be about sharing. Media wants to make the internet, like everything else, about money.
Do i feel bad for artists whose music is traded…? Absolutely not.
They should be thrilled that so many people listen to their music. People are still (and always will be) willing to pay for real-life experiences. Which means that Artists and Media need to change their business model to reflect this. File sharing is like free advertising. Focus on creating real world events/concerts/shows/movies worth experiencing in REAL life. They need to design experiences that will draw their audience away from the computer so that they can delight them on a much deeper level. They will generate money, and fans will feel as though it’s worth paying for.
I hate hearing that the music industry is mad that they’re losing money due to piracy—the truth is that it’s just NOT EASY anymore. Get over it! Work for your money like everyone else. Times change.
I’ve been d/l music before Napster,when you found a few songs on peoples sights to d/l,or used mrc chat to transfer. They would shut those sights down before there was a legal ruling on the matter.This is the course the riaa have chosen,not to intergrate but to act as gatekeepers.
You’re all criminals, that’s the bottom line.
An artist has the right to protect his or her creation.
Stop trying to take away that freedom.
Fuck media bosses keep downloading!
Oh yeah, fuck liberal asshats too!
[quote comment="146403"]Oh yeah, fuck liberal asshats too![/quote]
The liberals are the ones who want to steal.
Oh yeah, Now I remember! :)
from chile (12 years old)
nobody cares in latin america
[quote comment="146407"]from chile (12 years old)
nobody cares in latin america[/quote]
Well, no offense, but nobody cares about….
nevermind.
[quote comment="146409"][quote comment="146407"]from chile (12 years old)
nobody cares in latin america[/quote]
Well, no offense, but nobody cares about….
nevermind.[/quote]
/agreed
Good. Someone has a brain.
Credit for the comic, please?
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