Why is online piracy ethically different from theft?A vignette experiment.

Wojciech Hardy, Michał Krawczyk, Joanna Tyrowicz

Group for Research in APplied Economics

Introduction: If you download you’re a thief!

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„It's as if we were advising people on how to steal from supermarkets (...) Everything's alright in the legal terms, but, without any doubts, this IS stealing from artists and - I repeat - is causing harm to culture.”

--- Bogusław Pluta, director of ZPAV (2012) [3]

And Polish industries?

Music and recording industries (RIAA/MPAA) often compare piracy to shoplifting.

And the society?There is no loss;There is no alternative;The big companies won’t even notice;DRM’s are such a nuisance;Hey, I’m not even there.

To address the question:

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Which difference makes the difference?

To address the question:

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Which difference makes the difference?

Hypothetical stories about Johnny, who committed various, questionable acts to acquire a TV series.

To address the question:

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Which difference makes the difference?

Hypothetical stories about Johnny, who committed various, questionable acts to acquire a TV series.

Stories are based on six dimensions often mentioned in the debate around piracy:

To address the question:

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Which difference makes the difference?

Hypothetical stories about Johnny, who committed various, questionable acts to acquire a TV series.

Stories are based on six dimensions often mentioned in the debate around piracy: Loss, Physicality, Alternative, Peer, Sharing, Protection

To address the question:

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Which difference makes the difference?

Hypothetical stories about Johnny, who committed various, questionable acts to acquire a TV series.

Stories are based on six dimensions often mentioned in the debate around piracy: Loss, Physicality, Alternative, Peer, Sharing, Protection

Responders rate the stories’ acceptability.

To address the question:

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Which difference makes the difference?

Hypothetical stories about Johnny, who committed various, questionable acts to acquire a TV series.

Stories are based on six dimensions often mentioned in the debate around piracy: Loss, Physicality, Alternative, Peer, Sharing, Protection

Responders rate the stories’ acceptability.

Additional questions on personal behaviour and demographics.

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The questionnaire

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

18 stories that were built upon the six dimensions.

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

18 stories that were built upon the six dimensions.

Treatments:

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

18 stories that were built upon the six dimensions.

Treatments:Treatment I: Ethical Judgement (EJ)

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

18 stories that were built upon the six dimensions.

Treatments:Treatment I: Ethical Judgement (EJ)Treatment II: Social Norms (SN)

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

18 stories that were built upon the six dimensions.

Treatments:Treatment I: Ethical Judgement (EJ)Treatment II: Social Norms (SN)Treatment III: Incentivized Social Norms (ISN) [23]

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The questionnaire

Rewards offered as an encouragement.

18 stories that were built upon the six dimensions.

Treatments:Treatment I: Ethical Judgement (EJ)Treatment II: Social Norms (SN)Treatment III: Incentivized Social Norms (ISN) [23]

Rating scale: 1 – Totaly unacceptable; 4 – Fully acceptable. Note that there is no interpretable middle.

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Story examples

A friend of Johnny's forgot to log out from his e-mail box, after using Johnny's computer. While closing the web browser, Johnny spotted that the mail currently displayed on his screen contained a one-use only access code for a payable site with TV series in High Definition. Johnny quickly copied the code, and after returning home used it on a season of a popular TV series.

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Story examples

A friend of Johnny's forgot to log out from his e-mail box, after using Johnny's computer. While closing the web browser, Johnny spotted that the mail currently displayed on his screen contained a one-use only access code for a payable site with TV series in High Definition. Johnny quickly copied the code, and after returning home used it on a season of a popular TV series.

Not physical; Loss; Peer; No alternative; No sharing; Protection

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Story examples

A friend of Johnny's forgot to log out from his e-mail box, after using Johnny's computer. While closing the web browser, Johnny spotted that the mail currently displayed on his screen contained a one-use only access code for a payable site with TV series in High Definition. Johnny quickly copied the code, and after returning home used it on a season of a popular TV series.

Not physical; Loss; Peer; No alternative; No sharing; Protection

A new season of a popular, high budget, American TV series is available in kiosks as an add-on for a magazine priced 7.99 PLN. However, Johnny downloaded the series from another source, for free.

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Story examples

A friend of Johnny's forgot to log out from his e-mail box, after using Johnny's computer. While closing the web browser, Johnny spotted that the mail currently displayed on his screen contained a one-use only access code for a payable site with TV series in High Definition. Johnny quickly copied the code, and after returning home used it on a season of a popular TV series.

Not physical; Loss; Peer; No alternative; No sharing; Protection

A new season of a popular, high budget, American TV series is available in kiosks as an add-on for a magazine priced 7.99 PLN. However, Johnny downloaded the series from another source, for free.

Not physical; No loss; Not a peer; Alternative; No sharing; No protection.

Sample – Two studies

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Sample – Two studies

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Study 1 Students of the University of Warsaw (around 50% Economics) Young age (~24) Balanced gender (~60% female) N=338

Sample – Two studies

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Study 1 Students of the University of Warsaw (around 50% Economics) Young age (~24) Balanced gender (~60% female) N=338

Study 2Facebook profiles of non-for-profit organizationsSlightly older than Study I (~28)Mostly female (~68%)N=129

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Methodology

Ordered logit regressions:

Answer = βDimensions + γControls + ε

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Methodology

Ordered logit regressions:

Answer = βDimensions + γControls + ε1) Regressions by treatment groups.

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Methodology

Ordered logit regressions:

Answer = βDimensions + γControls + ε1) Regressions by treatment groups.

2) (Non)downloaders and (non)uploaders.

Results: The treatments

8Note: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01

Results: The groups (downloaders)

9Note: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01

Results: The groups (downloaders)

9Note: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01

Results: The groups (downloaders)

9Note: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01

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Conclusions

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Conclusions

The importance of dimensions: Physicality (Most important) Loss Protection Peer Sharing Alternative (Insignificant)

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Conclusions

The importance of dimensions: Physicality (Most important) Loss Protection Peer Sharing Alternative (Insignificant)

Individual opinion is harsher than perceived social norms.

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Conclusions

The importance of dimensions: Physicality (Most important) Loss Protection Peer Sharing Alternative (Insignificant)

Individual opinion is harsher than perceived social norms.

Conscious/sensitive downloaders.

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Conclusions

The importance of dimensions: Physicality (Most important) Loss Protection Peer Sharing Alternative (Insignificant)

Individual opinion is harsher than perceived social norms.

Conscious/sensitive downloaders.Policies should be focused on particular aspects of piracy.

Thank you for your attention!

Author: Wojciech Hardye-mail: whardy@wne.uw.edu.pl

More about our research on: http://grape.uw.edu.pl/ipiracyTwitter: @GrapeUW

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