Record labels are in the business of making copies, so they have a big problem with technology that makes copies for free, such as P2P networks. Rather than capitalize on these more efficient distribution methods, the label-backed RIAA has tried to goad file sharers off of the networks using legal threats.
According to a new study, these efforts have tanked. As early as 2001, more people had downloaded music over a peer-to-peer network than had voted for both Al Gore and George W. Bush combined... you can't deal with those kinds of numbers by suing a few college kids.
Out of 1,080 respondants, nearly 70% reported that they shared filesonline, but only about 6% said the RIAA lawsuits had had anything to dowith their decision. Just under 2% of respondants said they felt theywere guaranteed to be sued themselves if they kept sharing files,
despite the fact that just over 8% of respondants said they knewsomeone who had been sued.
Studies are notorious for their ability to produce just about anykind of results, depending on who is organizing them (this one comesfrom P2Pnet), but I think the resultsare interesting and generally backed up by anecdotal evidence.
People are going to share files whether or not labels want a part ofthe action, and regardless of the RIAA's lawsuits.
Full results (raw data available under a Creative Commons 3.0 License)
