Ars Technica report on a new EC sponsored Eurobarometer survey, with the great headline ‘Papa pirates, so I do, too’. The survey of 29 countries, which suggests Euroteens online behaviours are converging, is interesting partly because the audience surveyed is so young – 9-10 and 12-14 years old.
Predictably downloading music/film/video/games is more widespread among the older age group, and boys in particular. Excuses are rife since it appears to the kids surveyed that everyone is doing it, even their parents.
A comment I have heard previously, that reappears in this survey, is that if something is illegal it would not be on the internet. It’s worrying that kids might have a trust of the medium that is this deep.
Their biggest fear, on the other hand, appears to be getting a PC virus!
The report itself is here – p. 54 for the sectoin on illegal downloading.
Ten Years of Free 