According to research carried out by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM), just a quarter of Russians are ready to pay for online content.
The survey was designed to measure the public response to Russia’s new anti-piracy legislation, enacted in July 2013. The law does not target users who simply view or download illegitimate content for personal use, but instead copyright infringers and “information agents,” who publish litigious materials or provide access to them.
The law currently only applies to video content, but this might be extended to other types of content in the future.
It seems that word has got out about the law, with 80% of regular web users having heard of it. While there is significant opposition to the law, 34% of those who had heard of the law support it, indicating their belief that paid content is safer and more ethical.
Forty-five percent of respondents reported that they had been unable to download for free the films, music or books that they wanted.
However, it seems like demand for pirate content is not likely to dry up any time soon. Almost half of respondents think that one of the main advantages of the Russian Internet is the availability of free content, while less than 25% indicated a willingness to pay for online content.
The survey also quizzed respondents on the register of forbidden sites. Seventy five percent were aware that such a list exists, and 42% said that they would do their citizens’ duty and report it to the relevant government department, Roskomnadzor.
However, 33% said that they had come across such content in the past and had not reported it to the authorities.
Source: RIA Novosti / Digit.ru
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