Motivations to illegally download or not : a comparison between illegal and non-illegal downloaders in the Hong Kong context

Abstract

Throughout the years, digital content industry always regarding individuals who download copyright protected digital content without the copyright owners’ consents as robbers, it was because the digital piracy problem has been causing the industry with great financial loss. In order to combat the digital piracy problem, especially the illegal downloading through BitTorrent, therefore this research examines the reasons why some individuals choose to engaged in illegal downloading and why some choose not to in Hong Kong. With this research’s findings, it is believed the results can inspire the anti-illegal downloading parties to think of new tactics that help to cope with the illegal downloading problem, in result help to deter individuals from engaging in illegal downloading. Based on six interviews with the illegal and non-illegal downloaders, it was found the motivational factors that encourage individuals to illegal download is not merely because of money saving, there are others motivational factors motivate individuals to illegal download. On the other hand, the deterrent factor that hinder individuals from illegal downloading is not the legal concern factor, but due to other factors such as the concern that their computers could be damaged easily by the computerized virus and the overheating factor.