Anti-piracy warnings have the opposite effect on men, new study says

[zohaibahd]

Bottom line: The study demonstrates the complex psychology behind anti-piracy messaging. While risks and legal consequences may deter some groups, threatening tactics can seriously backfire for others. A better understanding of audience psychology is needed to craft campaigns that reduce rather than increase digital piracy.

A new study from the University of Portsmouth reveals that threatening anti-piracy messages can actually increase digital piracy behaviors in men. The research, published in the Journal of Business Ethics, found that men were 18% more likely to pirate content after being exposed to intimidating anti-piracy messaging, while women responded positively by reducing piracy intentions.

Digital piracy - accessing copyrighted content through unlicensed sources - is a major challenge facing creative industries worldwide. This study examined how effective different types of anti-piracy messages are in deterring piracy intentions and behaviors.

The researchers, led by Kate Whitman of the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime at the University of Portsmouth, tested participants' reactions to three real-world anti-piracy campaigns - two using threatening language about legal consequences, and one focused on educating people about the harms of piracy.

One threatening message from Crimestoppers, an independent charity, focused on risks of viruses, hacking, and identity theft. The other outlined legal consequences of piracy under France's "three strikes" laws terminating internet access after repeated infringement warnings. The educational message highlighted economic and moral impacts of piracy, promoting legal alternatives.

Whitman explained to Phys.org that while men pirate more than women overall, they still wanted to study gender differences in reactions to anti-piracy messaging. "We found that one size definitely doesn't fit all when combating piracy - men and women respond very differently."

While the educational message had no impact on piracy intentions, the results showed a significant gender gap in reactions to threatening messaging. Women reduced piracy intentions by over 50% in response to threats, but men increased intended piracy by 18%.

"The research shows that anti-piracy messages can inadvertently increase piracy, which is a phenomenon known as psychological reactance," explained Whitman. "From an evolutionary psychology point of view, men have a stronger reaction to their freedom being threatened and therefore they do the opposite."

Moreover, those with the most favorable attitudes toward piracy exhibited the most extreme reactions, with threatening messages increasing their piracy even further.

Whitman concluded that anti-piracy advocates need tailored approaches to effectively reduce piracy without unintended backlash. Since messages can't always be targeted by gender, avoidance of threats is safest when gender can't be determined.

Piracy has been on the upswing since the start of 2021 following years of decline, according to data from MUSO, a UK tracking firm. Smarter campaigns are the need of the hour, but with streaming platforms like Netflix and Apple TV increasing their prices, it's going to be tricky.

Image credits: jcomp via Pixabay

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https://www.techspot.com/news/101996-intimidating-anti-piracy-warnings-have-opposite-effect-men.html

 

[winjer]

Let us remember the wise words of Gabe Newell.

“One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue. The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates.”

 

[erickmendes]

"Since messages can't always be targeted by gender, avoidance of threats is safest when gender can't be determined."

Yeah right say it to my instagram ads... They know my age, my habits, my wishes and how much hair I have.

 

[Uncle Al]

Let us remember the wise words of Gabe Newell.

“One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue. The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates.”

AND to make piracy a capital crime punishable by hefty fines and lengthy jail time. AND if the piracy of money causes a persons early demise because they can no longer afford good medical time there should be a level at which capital punishment becomes mandatory. Add those all together and we may not end it, but we'll get rid of the bad actors one at a time .....

 

[winjer]

AND to make piracy a capital crime punishable by hefty fines and lengthy jail time. AND if the piracy of money causes a persons early demise because they can no longer afford good medical time there should be a level at which capital punishment becomes mandatory. Add those all together and we may not end it, but we'll get rid of the bad actors one at a time .....

To make things worse, we have seen pirates getting sentences that are harsher than rapists, scammers, bankers, politicians, etc.

 

[m4a4]

Well, yeah. If some rich company is going to waste my time lecturing me, I'm going to also do it out of spite. I charge a premium for wasting my time lol

 

[toooooot]

I do not care what they say, they are not worthy to be paid. And the more money hey lose, the less
political nonsense they will put in their movies.

 

[RandomWAN]

AND to make piracy a capital crime punishable by hefty fines and lengthy jail time. AND if the piracy of money causes a persons early demise because they can no longer afford good medical time there should be a level at which capital punishment becomes mandatory. Add those all together and we may not end it, but we'll get rid of the bad actors one at a time .....

Because making things more illegal has always stopped people from committing those same crimes they were already committing when it was less illegal. How's that drug war going for you?

 

[yRaz]

I haven't even bothered watching anything in several months. The next thing I plan on watching is Dune 2 but aside from that, modern media isn't even worth the time to watch. I'm actually looking forward to the change in seasons so I can start going outside again. I'm pretty tired of any media content that's come out in the last 5 years.

 

[bviktor]

The majority of the films I want to watch are not available on streaming in my country. Because geoblocking too. Not to mention expiring licenses and stuff. But sometimes they pull THEIR OWN stuff too. Just because.

So no, I'm not willing to pay money for such a service. Period.

 

[BigMeatyClackers]

I'm leaning into "back catalog" 4k blurays lately. The AV quality is excellent and I have an affinity for movies from the 70s,80s, and 90s

 

[braken]

You know subscription madness has got out of control we you need a subscription service to manage your subscription services. It should be so surprise people start looking for alternatives.

 

[Endymio]

“One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue. The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates.”

Stuff and nonsense. Piracy is theft. Period, hard stop. A Hollywood film can cost $100M+ to produce, and some software can cost billions. The only way that fixed cost can be recouped is by charging consumers for access -- and there will always be people who prefer "free" to "paying my fair share."

Self-delusion is dangerous. Claiming your pirating is justified because the IP owner is mistreating you is slippery ice indeed.

 

[yRaz]

Stuff and nonsense. Piracy is theft. Period, hard stop. A Hollywood film can cost $100M+ to produce, and some software can cost billions. The only way that fixed cost can be recouped is by charging consumers for access -- and there will always be people who prefer "free" to "paying my fair share."

Self-delusion is dangerous. Claiming your pirating is justified because the IP owner is mistreating you is slippery ice indeed.

Disney is doing more damage to their own brand in the last 5 years financially than piracy has done to all copywriter content combined since the creation of the internet. And lets not forgive companies for "selling" you a digital copy of something but then the owner pulls the rights from that service and that platform removes your digital copy. If I pay $10 to own something on Amazon prime then Amazon loses the rights to it then they didn't really sell it to me, they licensed me the rights to view it for a period of time which was to the end of their contract to host it. when they "sold" it they didn't disclose that we may or may not be able to view it after said date.

So this is a two way street. Copyright holders steal from us just as much pirates steal from them. The difference is that the pirates likely would have never viewed the content if it wasn't available for free where as the copyright holders move their content from platform to platform stealing money from users

 

[kiwigraeme]

Stuff and nonsense. Piracy is theft. Period, hard stop. A Hollywood film can cost $100M+ to produce, and some software can cost billions. The only way that fixed cost can be recouped is by charging consumers for access -- and there will always be people who prefer "free" to "paying my fair share."

Self-delusion is dangerous. Claiming your pirating is justified because the IP owner is mistreating you is slippery ice indeed.

A bit simplistic - Sure people rationalise it - Funny thing is in older generation some pirates were the biggest consumers as well - maybe younger ones haven't learn to pay.

People in poor countries have a choice , pirate or not watch - paying is not an option

If someone pirates that Borderland Movie . would they have paid for it - so theft of what ( as no lost sale )

Nearly every human with access to tech has committed some IP , copyright , pirate violation . Photocopying a guide/instruction book at work etc

Governments , large corporations deliberately and with malice steal IP / copyright , media wholesale - not saying that makes it right . Just saying your take is simplistic
If I could download a car I would

I'm not going to be pedantic and say legally it's not technically theft

 

[veLa]

Remember, with today's licensing systems, you never actually own the content these days anyway. Therefore, piracy isn't stealing since it is taking something you could never even own in the first place.

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

Long ago people left cable because of high prices and streaming was the alternative. Networks followed the streaming craze and now messed it up with again high pricing so piracy is the next alternative. It's back to the 1990's folks. The world can't solve piracy on the high seas but figure it can in the digital world?

 

[nismo91]

Stuff and nonsense. Piracy is theft. Period, hard stop. A Hollywood film can cost $100M+ to produce, and some software can cost billions. The only way that fixed cost can be recouped is by charging consumers for access -- and there will always be people who prefer "free" to "paying my fair share."

Self-delusion is dangerous. Claiming your pirating is justified because the IP owner is mistreating you is slippery ice indeed.

yeah tell that to Microsoft 30 years ago when it found out that almost all of the Windows copies in China in early 1990s are fakes. Back then Microsoft sells Windows in China with US pricing. Naturally people don't buy Windows, but Gates said if they're gonna pirate so much software they might as well pirate ours (so they don't use Linux). 15 years later he's proud of the decision, and the marketshare numbers proved him right.

dude, windows 95 costs over 1 billion in developments. and the boss literally let pirates get away with it, to the company's long term benefit. he knows for a fact that he can't stop piracy, but he can use it to his advantage, and that is by allowing the pirates to use the products instead of using the competitor's.

look at windows 11 now. you don't even have to purchase the key to use it. even though they retails for over $100 for a license. why? because they've been in business long enough to know that if people can't afford it, they won't ever pay for it.

 

[Snazz]

Go ahead and mislabel piracy "genocide" if it makes you feel more righteous. I'll still have zero qualms about making a digital copy of something without paying for it. The opportunity-cost to the creator of me buying it instead is entirely theoretical (I.e. an assumption I would spend money on it if that was the only choice), just like it's only theoretical that the creator would give up as a direct consequence of me not personally setting an anti-piracy example. Even if they all did, I would certainly remain better off with more money to spend on things that are important/tangible and have no more new movies/shows/games/music (the vast majority of which are IMO regressing in entertainment value anyway) than the other way around.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Go ahead and mislabel piracy "genocide" if it makes you feel more righteous. I'll still have zero qualms about making a digital copy of something without paying for it. The opportunity-cost to the creator of me buying it instead is entirely theoretical (I.e. an assumption I would spend money on it if that was the only choice), just like it's only theoretical that the creator would give up as a direct consequence of me not personally setting an anti-piracy example. Even if they all did, I would certainly remain better off with more money to spend on things that are important/tangible and have no more new movies/shows/games/music (the vast majority of which are IMO regressing in entertainment value anyway) than the other way around.

I might fell a little bad if 95% of the profits didnt go into the pockets of filthy rich C suites and crony thieves we call businessmen.

I buy art directly from artists if I like it. Screw big entertainment. They ruin everything of value.

I'm leaning into "back catalog" 4k blurays lately. The AV quality is excellent and I have an affinity for movies from the 70s,80s, and 90s

I recently re watched red october. The most Scottish Russian ever didnt dissapoint.

If only 4k blu rays were less picky. The fact I cant back them up without special CPUs and other BS turns me off of every buying into them.

I haven't even bothered watching anything in several months. The next thing I plan on watching is Dune 2 but aside from that, modern media isn't even worth the time to watch. I'm actually looking forward to the change in seasons so I can start going outside again. I'm pretty tired of any media content that's come out in the last 5 years.

It's all trash. OTOH we have literal decades of great movies and TV shows I havent ever gotten to. These days, unless the fans LOVE it, I dont even bother.

 

[Endymio]

Remember, with today's licensing systems, you never actually own the content these days anyway. Therefore, piracy isn't stealing since it is taking something you could never even own in the first place.

LOL, what? So if I steal Britain's crown jewels, or a US tactical nuclear device -- I didn't really steal anything? What sort of inane anti-logic is this?

People in poor countries have a choice , pirate or not watch - paying is not an option.

If someone pirates that Borderland Movie . would they have paid for it - so theft of what ( as no lost sale )

This is yet another rationalization of "I have a right to something even if I can't afford it."

And your premise itself is also false. A person "in that poor country" may not be able to afford to watch that Borderlands movie on its initial release -- but prices drop sharply over time. In a couple of years, it'll stream or rent for much less, and in 5 or 10 years, it'll be free on some ad-supported channel. Furthermore, every minute a person spends watching a pirated film or playing a pirated game is a minute they don't spend consuming some content they actually could afford. So let's stop pretending piracy doesn't "cost sales", eh?

Nearly every human with access to tech has committed some IP , copyright , pirate violation . Photocopying a guide/instruction book at work etc

Oops! Guess you've never heard of the fair use exemption. Your argument is like saying that, since every person has stepped on a bug sometime in their lives, it's ok to mass slay as much wildlife as possible.

 

[Endymio]

I might fell a little bad if 95% of the profits didnt go into the pockets of filthy rich C suites and crony thieves we call businessmen.

So your argument is, if you don't like the person, it's OK to steal from them?

In any case, your 95% figure is a flat-out lie. The current profit margin for Universal Studios is 4%, and MGM-Warner's is 7.8%, meaning the vast majority of revenues goes towards the costs of production. And of the small percentage that is profit, 100% of it goes to the stockholders, which -- in the case of Universal at least -- is majority owned by institutional pension and retirement funds. Meaning when you pirate that film, you're stealing from everyone who owns a 401k.

 

[Endymio]

dude, windows 95 costs over 1 billion in developments. and the boss literally let pirates get away with it, to the company's long term benefit. he knows for a fact that he can't stop piracy...

If I understand the '90s surfer lingo correctly, you're claiming that Microsoft "allows" piracy -- then immediately contradict yourself by pointing out they can't stop it?

/smh.

 

[kiwigraeme]

LOL, what? So if I steal Britain's crown jewels, or a US tactical nuclear device -- I didn't really steal anything? What sort of inane anti-logic is this?


This is yet another rationalization of "I have a right to something even if I can't afford it."

And your premise itself is also false. A person "in that poor country" may not be able to afford to watch that Borderlands movie on its initial release -- but prices drop sharply over time. In a couple of years, it'll stream or rent for much less, and in 5 or 10 years, it'll be free on some ad-supported channel. Furthermore, every minute a person spends watching a pirated film or playing a pirated game is a minute they don't spend consuming some content they actually could afford. So let's stop pretending piracy doesn't "cost sales", eh?


Oops! Guess you've never heard of the fair use exemption. Your argument is like saying that, since every person has stepped on a bug sometime in their lives, it's ok to mass slay as much wildlife as possible.

We don't live in a perfect world - I'm not going to address all your points
But I will iterate the crime of piracy is so much less than the sanctioned government/corporate stealing for centuries from local people around the world . It's not even close . Most piracy is against USA - USA has stolten , killed and bragged endlessly how they have ripped off the poor endlessly. Even if they get judgement a world court - USA still often does not pay - Most Charity was used to push USA agender and sales.
This USA state sponsored killing was at the time also at the rise of such media
USA was built on piracy and IP violations - Not wanting to pay royalties to Europe - FN hypocrites in the extreme

Not saying it makes it right

As for watching it advert supported etc - how naive - Most of those copies in local cinemas and TV can be pirated ones as well . You would struggle to find a real copy in some countries .
American corporates can kill around the world with impunity , except for joke fines . Directors , CEOs rarely if ever get even one day in jail

And yes I still would download a car

Plus fair use - stop being naive - people copied whole instruction manuals
USA companies did not even want you to rip your music - it was illegal - yet microsoft itself gave you the ability to do so

They tried to limit your right to ownership - they still do with phones etc

Plus again we are all just screaming here - it's a very nuanced topic - There is no absolute standard - laws , morals, ethics vary around the world

It seems ok for big tech to bombard as with spam , huge adverts in our towns , fill our airspace on our property with all types of encrypted light wavelengths - but If I un-encrypt that crap coming into my house - I'm breaking the law !
The law favours corporate exploitation - I'm not American - In NZ piracy for own consumption is hardly even a crime - Not enforced , need 3 warnings at least , minor penalty - like a minor speeding ticket

Plus try and use fair use of a disney characters - wait for heavy handed letters from 12000Kms away - if you have drawn pluto on a wall in your kindergarten along with say pokemon

Finally as Gabe said give the punters something better - they will pay
In USA they try to make you pay to see copies on their own laws in some States - how FN weird
Or research that deserves to be free and accessible

Still download a car - FBI warnings of untold fines are a laugh

 

[Endymio]

Most piracy is against USA - USA has stolten , killed and bragged endlessly how they have ripped off the poor endlessly.

The US doesn't own copyrights; individuals and businesses do. Your argument is that, if you don't like a country, you're free to victimize its citizens? By that logic, I'm free to break into your home, steal everything portable, and burn down the structure, merely because I object to New Zealand's theft of land from the Māori.

American corporates can kill around the world with impunity

I think you've seen a few too many Hollywood films about CEOs surrounded by swarms of gun-toting henchmen.

And yes I still would download a car

If you're proud to be a thief, no rational argument will convince you otherwise. The fact remains that, cars were downloadable and everyone thought as you did -- then no would create the car in the first place.

There is no absolute standard - laws , morals, ethics vary around the world

You've come to the wrong shop for moral relativism. That pernicious doctrine died a justified death in the Nineteenth Century.