Nearly half of young Norwegians are fine with piracy to save money, survey shows

The Debate on Digital Piracy: The legality of digital piracy has sparked controversy, with opinions varying across different age groups. A recent survey in Norway highlighted that younger individuals are more accepting of piracy, often citing high costs as the main reason.

A study found that almost half of Norwegians under 30 have no issues with streaming or downloading content from unofficial sources, with slightly less than half admitting to piracy.

Conducted by Ipsos and published by the Norwegian government, the survey interviewed 1,411 participants aged 15 and above about their views on digital piracy and counterfeit goods. While older age groups showed less interest in these activities, about one-third of all respondents expressed some level of acceptance towards piracy and purchasing knock-off products.

Translation by TorrentFreak, click to enlarge

The survey revealed that 21 percent of participants under 30 strongly believed that accessing illegal content is acceptable when official sources are too expensive. Another 29 percent partially agreed. Among those aged 30 to 44, around 40 percent agreed, while a majority of those over 45 disagreed.

Interestingly, respondents across all age groups were less concerned about pirating unavailable content through legal channels. Nearly two-thirds of those under 30 found it acceptable in such cases.

Despite concerns raised by copyright holders about the impact of piracy on industries and jobs, 71.2 percent of survey participants either fully or partially agreed with this assertion.

While many respondents reported paying for legal streaming services, a significant percentage under 30 admitted to accessing media from illegal sources. Among those engaging in piracy, a considerable number stated they would switch to official platforms if prices were more affordable.

However, streaming companies like Netflix and Disney+ have announced price hikes, while Amazon Prime Video has introduced ads and plans for more ad slots in the future.

Survey participants were less accepting of purchasing counterfeit physical items, with a notable percentage finding it acceptable only when authentic goods were too expensive.

The most commonly purchased counterfeit items were clothing, sunglasses, and electronics, in that order.