In the world of film, one of the most important things copyright owners can do is market their content online to increase awareness and revenue. At the same time, they have to protect their content from internet piracy, which chips away at sales. This is an often-discussed dilemma — but two recent peer-reviewed papers (here and here) suggest that these two goals may not always be in tension. Piracy, the papers suggest, can actually boost sales of some digital products by increasing word-of-mouth and overall market awareness. This has led some industry observers to argue that efforts by firms and governments to combat digital piracy may be wasted.
The Digital-Piracy Dilemma
Do buzz and publicity outweigh the lost sales?
October 19, 2020
Summary.
New research suggests that piracy can help promote films and other digital products. But the authors warn against reading too much into that research: In most cases, they say, the costs of piracy still outweigh the benefits, and consumers therefore still deserve protections from piracy.
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Digital Intelligence . Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Excel in a world that's being continually transformed by technology.