Informal downloading of copyrighted content in the perception of contemporary youth

Abstract

The informal circulation of copyrighted content has been observed for a long time, but only the development of new technologies and widespread access to the Internet have contributed to the evolution of this phenomenon on a global scale. The aim of the research was to learn the opinions of contemporary youth regarding both the reasons for downloading copyrighted content and the extent of this phenomenon. The article presents the results of research on the attitude of contemporary youth towards issues related to the informal content sharing on the Internet, which is an integral part of young people’s online life and is rarely considered in terms of theft and law violation. The research results confirm that informal downloading of files and programmes, despite the fact that it is a very common phenomenon in our society, is not subject to clear assessments from social, economic, and even legal perspective. The article also draws attention to the inadequacy of the current copyright law to rapidly evolving digital technologies and changing ways of consuming cultural content.