🏴‍☠️ Men pirate twice as often as women

For example, 21% of all sports viewing consumption among men was illegal, while these figures were half as low for women.

Attempts to combat piracy by informing users about its prevalence (social norms) often backfire, especially among men. Any mention that “others pirate too” can become a justification for their own behavior.

However, focusing on reputation is effective. Men who were concerned that piracy would harm their image were less likely to engage in illegal downloading.

The researchers advise that anti-piracy campaigns should focus not on laws, but on reputational costs, portraying piracy as a low-status or socially unacceptable behavior.