Video Piracy Report: Millennials Don't Know They're Stealing
Video piracy has become so normalized for young adults that many of them don't realize they're doing something illegal.
According to a report released today by ad agency Anatomy Media, 69 percent of young adults age 18 to 24 use at least one form of video piracy, such as downloading, streaming, or mobile apps. Video piracy is seen as acceptable to young adults, with 24 percent believing streaming and downloading piracy are legal.
Password sharing is rampant for young adults: 61 percent of those surveyed who stream content access it with a shared password. This sharing continues even after the young person leaves their parents' home. Anatomy notes that the streaming services aren't cracking down on this by tracking unique users, so those that sell ads are missing out on subscription revenue.
Ad blockers are especially popular with young adults, with 2 out of 3 people using them on a desktop or mobile computer. The main reason given is to avoid video ads, but they're also used to give viewers more control, reduce mobile data charges, and speed access to desired content. While publishers could use technology that can detect ad blockers and prompt viewers to disable their software, of the 17 sites Anatomy surveyed only one (CBS) was doing so.
Anatomy drew its results from a Google consumer survey conducted this summer of 2,700 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States.
For more results, download Anatomy's report Millennials at the Gate for free (no registration required).
Related Articles
Forensic watermarking allows rights holders to ID pirates within 15 seconds of the content appearing on an illicit site or platform
13 Nov 2017
The gap between legitimate streaming revenues and piracy losses is widening. While piracy isn't stopping, there are signs it's slowing.
30 Oct 2017
The hardware vendor claims its devices are completely legal since they don't host or download pirated content. It's the third-party software that does the infringing.
18 Oct 2017
Young adults watch videos on their own schedule, but are open to sharing information with advertisers if it means more relevant ads.
07 Sep 2017
Many consumers don't realize video piracy is a crime and, thanks to increasingly sophisticated pirate sites, others don't know what offers are legitimate.
18 Jan 2017
Piracy doesn't have to be a routine cost of business, and streamed videos can be secured. Learn which of these methods is best for your business.
01 Dec 2016
Video piracy is widespread, but there's no consensus on how big the problem is or the best response to it. Are the biggest media companies in Hollywood throwing their money away trying to fight it?
14 Jun 2016
If online video piracy costs premium entertainment companies over $6 billion each year, how come the heads of Netflix and HBO aren't worried about it?
10 Feb 2016
Live streaming apps Meerkat and Periscope got bad press for allowing the fight to be pirated, but the real culprits have been around for far longer.
02 Jun 2015