Report claims File Sharers ‘Often the most valued Consumers’

A new study has indicated that filesharing activity is less damaging to the arts than has previously been claimed.

Research conducted by the University of Amsterdam suggests that the buying and sharing of online content tend to go hand-in-hand, meaning music, film and video game sales potentially benefit from filesharing practices.

The study indicated that 68 per cent of filesharers also purchase music legally, and spend at least the same amount as non-filesharers on media content overall.

This presumably backs up the much touted theory that many use file-sharing for the purposes of previewing an artist’s work before they make a purchase.

In addition, filesharers tend to purchase more branded merchandise and go to concerts and festivals more frequently, benefitting the artists, it claimed.

The Dutch researchers stated that "Filesharers are the industry's largest customers. Note that no causal relationship is implied here,”

"Aficionados of music, games or films will typically buy more, get into related products more but also download more."

The report also found that, fear of online piracy prevented the music industry from the digital innovation required to provide appealing legal alternatives.