The results from the online music file sharing survey indicated the majority of the students have engaged in online music piracy by participating in illegal file sharing networks. This was the case, even though the majority of the students were aware they were committing an illegal act, and could possibly be sued for such actions. The students’ reasoning behind their continued involvement in online music piracy, despite their knowledge, was revealing.
Based on the evidence discovered in this study, individuals’ reasoning for engaging in online music piracy could be due to a wide range of issues and circumstances. One of these issues could indicate individuals view piracy as a victimless crime. During the focus group sessions, Courtney, a Business female student, felt while committing such an act is illegal, she didn’t view it as a big deal. “I don’t think it’s just that big of a deal.” Ryan, a Music male student, shared the same sentiments as he attributed students’ rationale for piracy being due to the price and ease of engaging in online music piracy. “[I]t’s cheap…and it’s easy.” Illegal file sharing’s lure as a convenient and cheap resource for a variety of music seems to serve as a viable rationale for disregarding its illegality. Trevor, a RTVF male student, indicated his rationale for piracy is based on the amount of music downloaded. “Getting one or two songs to see if you like someone is like going to the store and flipping through a book, and say, oh, I like the Picasso, let’s go see what I can find.”
Besides the idea of being a victimless crime, the convenience the Internet presents also is a possible reason individuals engage in online music piracy. William, a Music male student, felt the convenience served a valued purpose for those in pursuit of music. “…[I]t’s a lot faster than having to go somewhere and buy a CD.” Brandon, a Music male student, was also intrigued by the convenience online music piracy provided. “…[Y]ou can get all of the songs you want, and you don’t have to buy the entire crappy album.” The illegality of the act also didn’t matter to Nicole, a Business female student, who felt the reasoning behind piracy was its convenience. “It’s a convenience thing…you don’t have to go get it. It’s at your house in like five seconds.” Chloe, a RTVF female student, believed one of the reasons individuals download music is because they go through a phase of sharing copyrighted music simply because it is convenient and easily available. “I think everybody goes through a phase, through phases…I had that phase where I downloaded everything, you know, sample stuff[.]”
Compared to other media, the Internet is a fairly new technology, and is probably the least regulated of all media. This basic unregulated haven has a mystique about it which could be viewed as a place where hidden treasure and uncharted territory reside. Unlike television and radio, there is no set of huge corporations which make all the decisions as to what will be shown or broadcast. The Internet is available to anyone who wishes to display or broadcast almost anything. Because of this, material which could never be seen or heard on other media might wind up on the Internet. Jason, a RTVF male student, felt online music piracy allows individuals to attain different types of music, in which they would have no other means in which to gain access. “…[T]hat’s one of the only ways that you can find stuff overseas a lot of times[.]”
The study used in this thesis did not focus on the idea of the act of sharing being the sole reason for engaging in music piracy. However, the results of the focus groups indicated maybe the Internet’s open environment and file sharings' community-like approach could be perceived as another major reason individuals choose to share copyrighted music online. The feeling one may receive from being part of a community, or a collective set of individuals who share common interests, could make individuals want to engage in online music piracy, regardless of illegality. Olivia, a RTVF female student, felt networking together with other individuals is what made file sharing of copyrighted music attractive. “…[I]t’s the whole building a good of a community. I have it, let me make it available.”
The results in this study also suggest the resources of colleges and universities do add to the problem of online music piracy. Because some universities provide students with extremely fast Internet connections, students can use their connections for online music piracy. Brooke, a RTVF female student, indicated she only started engaging in the sharing of copyrighted music because she was provided the technology which made this possible. “I didn’t download stuff until I got to college and my Internet was high speed...now I have dial-up, so… that takes, you know, less time to go to the store and buy the CD, then to download one song.” But this is not to say colleges intentionally harbor known pirates or purposefully refrain from taking into account the way their university resources are being used.
Just because an individual is presented with all the tools to engage in illegal file sharing, it doesn’t mean they will automatically do so. A small minority of students in this study were totally opposed to online music piracy and illegal file sharing. Beth, a Business female student, felt piracy was a big deal and it causes serious financial harm. “…[I]f y’all were really educated on this subject though, you would realize that million of dollars are lost a year…it’s a very significant amount of money.” Others may not share Beth’s strong sentiments, but rather the Internet’s lure of free material just might not interest them.
This pilot study found the majority of the student participants believe the RIAA is mostly to blame for the current state of online music piracy. The majority of the student participants also indicated they possess a great mistrust in the recording industry as a whole, and refuse to believe claims the recording industry makes regarding the problems online music piracy has caused.
The results of this study could be viewed as indicating student participants have little respect for the RIAA and its claims, and may view online music piracy as a means of liberating themselves from the clutches of the music industry. Chloe indicated she basically doesn’t trust the RIAA or any of the statements they publicly make. “I don’t trust anything the RIAA says.” Chloe ultimately had harsh words for the recording industry and the claims they make and tactics they use against file sharers of copyrighted music. “…[J]ust because you’re an old white man, and you don’t want to lose your billions of dollars, don’t tell me, try to guilt me into buying your music.”
The pilot study indicated although individuals are not technically taking a physical item from a store, the majority of the participants in this pilot study felt engaging in the illegal file sharing of copyrighted music online remains a form of stealing. There are several ways the participants interpreted the word “stealing” in this study, as opposed to the word “sharing”. Olivia felt file sharing of copyrighted music is not stealing because she’s not taking money away from anyone. Olivia claimed she would not purchase music even if there were no means of attaining the music for free. “…[T]he people, they’re not losing money off of me because I wasn’t going to purchase it anyways.” Chloe also felt it’s not stealing because no one is losing money from her because she downloads things she had no intention of purchasing. She claims she will purchase anything she really likes. “…[I]f it’s music or a band or show or anything that I want to invest in…then I’ll go out and buy the DVD or I’ll buy the CD.”
When it comes to morality, the DIT measured the majority of all student participants as not specifically reasoning in only one of Kohlberg’s stages. Because of this, student participants could move between several of Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning, which could mean completely different responses from the same individual in the near future. Because the DIT measured the responses and actions as being consistent, an assumption can be made about the participants. This assumption suggests if they were confronted with the issues presented on the DIT, they would act accordingly. The DIT results indicated in addition to the student participant’s answers being measured as truthful and consistent with their beliefs, they were also very decisive in selecting answers, which is vital in this pilot study. There were, however, a couple of student participants who were detected as being very indecisive in their responses on the DIT, which could have slightly skewed the results of this pilot study. However, the DIT warns this indecision could be due to the multiple and potentially conflicting interpretations in the test, and the DIT takes this into account when analyzing the data.
The DIT suggests the majority of students are reasoning at Kohlberg’s Stage 5 (Social Contact Orientation) and Stage 6 (Universal Ethical Orientation). Individuals at these stages are supposed to accept and respect universal values and principles of society. However, the results from the online music file sharing survey indicate otherwise. Abiding by the law is a principle of American society, in which the student participants who engage in online music piracy either are not accepting or respecting. This could mean moral judgment of the majority of the student participants is not playing an active role in their decision making process, and therefore not influencing their personal decisions regarding online music piracy.
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