UK consumers 'reluctant to pay' for downloads

Some 44 per cent of those who download music‚ films and video games do so without paying for it‚ new research shows.

A recent survey by research group Music Ally suggested that piracy levels are falling as the availability of free music streaming services grows.

However, a new study by network integration company Telindus shows that illegal downloading is still a common activity among UK consumers.

It found that 44 per cent of those who download music, films and video games on the internet do so without paying for the content.

And it discovered that piracy levels are higher among men, with around 50 per cent downloading illegally, compared to 38 per cent of women.

According to the survey, one-fifth of UK consumers know where to go to access copyrighted material for free on the internet.

Furthermore, three out of five do not think that musicians and filmmakers should receive any royalty payments from songs and movies downloaded online.

The research also shows that the threat of legal action is failing to deter web users from breaching copyright laws.

Indeed, some 59 per cent of respondents said they know about online piracy laws, while half said they are aware of the possible consequences if they are caught.

Mark Hutchinson, managing director of Telindus, said: "We live in a digital age where people have grown accustomed to receiving something for nothing and, as a result, online piracy has exploded."

"While the Digital Britain report increases the pressure on internet service providers as the delivery platform to monitor illegal file sharing and up the threat of legal action on infringers, this clearly doesn't reduce piracy."

In contrast to the Telindus survey, Music Ally's research on the intellectual property issue suggested that in January this year, just 17 per cent of web users were sharing music illegally, compared to 22 per cent in December 2007.