New research, which examines the demand for pirated e-books across the internet, has found a 50pc increase in online searches for pirated downloads for e-books in the past year.
A First Look at Demand for Pirated E-Books Across the Web, the research conducted by Attributor – a company that monitors the web for copies of content and removes those in violation of anti-piracy policy – examined the demand for e-books on the web and highlights the growing problem of online piracy.
Increase since iPad availability
Key findings from the recent study include: a 50pc increase in searches for pirated downloads, 1.5 million to 3 million daily Google queries for pirated e-books, and 20pc increase in demand for pirated downloads since the iPad became widely available.
Attributor conducted its first book piracy study that quantified book piracy, including the number of downloads taking place, and the lost value from book piracy in the US, which was estimated at $2.8bn (around €2.1bn) when the study was published in January.
The study aims to determine the behaviour of internet users with regards to book piracy and highlights the growing problem of online piracy and the need for an educational, industry-wide initiative about e-book consumption.
