New research published by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in recent days suggests that copyright infringement remains rife in the UK – with a large number of consumers regularly accessing or downloading copyrighted material illegally.
According to the IPO’s latest Online Copyright Infringement Tracker, TV programmes are the most ‘illegally accessed’ type of copyright content in the UK, with almost a quarter (23 per cent) of Britons admitting to accessing or downloading such content illegally over the past three months.
This is up from a figure of 22 per cent recorded in the same survey last year, indicating a slight increase.
Meanwhile, the infringement of music also remains commonplace, with 19 per cent of consumers admitting to illegally accessing copyrighted songs and albums – up from 17 per cent in 2017.
However, the number of internet users watching and downloading pirated films has fallen from 21 per cent to 19 per cent year-on-year, the report reveals.
The annual study, which assesses the digital behaviours and attitudes of Britons aged 12 and above, found that approximately 15 per cent of UK internet users – or 6.5 million people – had consumed at least one item of online content illegally in the past quarter.
Interestingly, however, it found that consumers at the younger end of the spectrum were less prone to accessing online content illegally, having fuelled a ‘boom’ in the legal viewing of TV programmes and films using services such as Netflix and Amazon Video.
Among 12 to 15-year-olds, for example, the research found that infringement had decreased from 25 per cent to just 22 per cent year-on-year.
Commenting on the figures, Sam Gyimah, UK Minister for Intellectual Property (IP), said: “The variety of legitimate services now available to consumers is extraordinary and our world-leading creative industries have made great strides in meeting the demands of viewers and fans, so there really is no excuse for the ongoing use of illegal services.
“Today’s findings are a positive step forward in stamping out online copyright infringement, but we cannot afford to be complacent,” he warned.
“We are committed to tackling piracy and helping this vibrant sector go from strength to strength through our Creative Industries Sector Deal, a major part of our modern Industrial Strategy.”