A new survey reveals that 50% of Norwegians under 30 find digital piracy acceptable when faced with high subscription costs for streaming services and media content. The study, conducted by Ipsos and published by the Norwegian government, provides insights into changing attitudes toward digital piracy across different age groups.
Among respondents under 30 years old, 21% strongly supported accessing movies, music, and TV shows through unofficial sources when official channels are too expensive, while an additional 29% partially agreed with this position. The acceptance rate remained notably high at 40% for those aged 30-44.
The survey, which included 1,411 participants aged 15 and older, also found that availability plays a key role in piracy justification. Nearly two-thirds of young Norwegians considered piracy acceptable when content is unavailable through legal channels, with 46.6% of all respondents sharing this view.
Despite widespread acknowledgment of piracy's negative impact on media industries - with 71.2% of participants agreeing it could harm jobs - many still justify the practice. Cost remains the primary driver, as 40.6% of those who access illegal content indicated they would switch to official platforms if prices were more affordable.
The timing of these findings coincides with recent price increases by major streaming services. Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube Premium have all raised their subscription fees, while Amazon Prime Video has introduced new ad-based tiers and plans to expand advertising in the coming year.
The study also examined attitudes toward counterfeit physical goods. Among young Norwegians, 48.7% considered purchasing knock-offs acceptable when authentic items were too expensive. However, only 8.2% reported knowingly buying counterfeit products, primarily focusing on clothing, sunglasses, and electronics.
While at least half of all age groups maintain subscriptions to legal streaming services, 44% of those under 30 admitted to accessing media through illegal sources, either knowingly or unknowingly.
The results paint a clear picture of how economic factors influence digital consumption habits among younger generations in Norway, suggesting that pricing strategies by content providers may be pushing some consumers toward unofficial alternatives.