14 DAY TRIAL // Though some might want to believe that file sharing, especially for music, is becoming less of a problem and that legitimate services are replacing illegal ones, new data from a UK Music-backed study shows that, at least in the UK, unlawful music sharing is as much of a problem as always with 61 percent of young people illegally downloading music from a file sharing site.
The study, commissioned by a UK Music group that represents British music industry players, surveyed 1,808 young people aged 14-24. It found that the number of illegal downloaders was actually down from last year, 61 percent versus 63 percent, though the difference is within the margin of error, but that the phenomenon is still widespread.
Of those that used illegal file sharing sites, 83 percent did so on a weekly basis and downloaded on average 8,100 tracks. These numbers are just for those that admitted to illegally downloading music so the actual figures may be even bigger.
Streaming sites aren't the miraculous solution that many have been hailing either as it seems that 78 percent of young people would not pay for such services, contradicting a previous study, which found that 65 percent of UK teenagers used streaming services, including free ones like YouTube, on a regular basis. The same study, ordered by digital music consultancy firm Music Ally, found that only 26 percent of those aged 14-18 admitted to illegal file sharing of music tracks.
Still, UK Music CEO, Feargal Sharkey, was optimistic, telling the BBC that "Over the past 12 months, the licensed digital music market has diversified enormously - epitomised by competition in the download market and the traction being gained by streaming services."
Even if the results of the two studies are contradictory and backed by biased organizations, it remains clear that music fans, especially young ones, are looking for alternatives and easy ways to share and enjoy music either legally or illegally and, for now, the most convenient ones, the illegal ones, are winning.