Ron Schenone

Microsoft Threatened Them With Jail Time

Posted by on Feb 15, 2008 | 6 Comments

When it comes to downloading illegal software, a recent report that was completed for Microsoft seems to indicate that teens are unaware it is illegal. The report also states that teens when faced with jail time may have more respect for copyrighted material. In addition this jail threat seems to also make kids aware that they better respect intellectual property rights as well or face time in the big house.

Microsoft seems to feel that more education is needed to educate teens on the aspects of intellectual property rights, copyrighted material and software piracy. The company also seems to feel that these times should be aware that they may face criminal action as well as being fined. Microsoft wants to correct teems impressions. One portion of the report states:

Fewer teens expect punishment for illegal use of Intellectual Property than stealing goods. Fewer than half of teens surveyed (48%) thought they should be punished for illegally downloading materials over the Internet, while most thought they should be punished for things like stealing a bike (90%), stealing a video game at the mall (89%) or stealing a cell phone from a locker at school (85%).

Awareness of the law impacts teen attitudes towards illegal downloading. The more teenagers know about laws against illegal downloading, the more they will come to think it should be a punishable offense. Likewise, teenagers unaware of the rules are more tolerant of illegal activities.

Among teenagers who said they were familiar with the laws, more than eight in ten (82%) said illegal downloaders should be punished. In contrast, slightly more than half (57%) of those unfamiliar with the laws said violators should be punished.

Parents play a critical role for teens. Teens report their parents are their main source of information about what they can and cannot do online. Reinforcing the critical role of parents is the fact that some of the strongest deterrents to stealing and illegally sharing content are the thoughts of potential consequences.

Interesting take on the problem. But what do you think? Is threatening jail time the way to handle illegal downloading? Do we need stricter laws?

Comments welcome.

You can read the full report here.

  • http://www.phantomcode.com Boyce

    Don’t break the law, don’t steal. That said, there is a fundamental difference.

    Theft of goods deprives a rightful owner of the ability to use that good and decreases their ability to exercise their freedoms to use their property.

    Intellectual Property theft of electronically copied data does not deprive the rightful owner of anything physical or of freedoms to use their property. It does not decrease the property of those stolen from. It does, however, deprive the owner of the opportunity to make a sale. If that opportunity would not be presented had the data not been copied, then the owner actually benefits from the wider use of the product which gains it popularity and provides free advertisement.

    This basic difference is grasped instinctively by those who would not steal physical goods but are willing to break the law to priate software, music or other intellectual property. At the same time, few have the clarity to express it, at least in some part because it feels like a rationalization. To compound the feeling of guilt with anger, people believe that the prosecutors treat both types of theft as the same, despite knowing it is different.

    The evil of physical property theft is based on the ethical understanding that it is a bad thing to deprive someone else of what they have worked for with a goal of not having to work for it yourself. This is a basic human rights issue.

    The evil of intellectual property theft is that of potenially hindering someone’s buisness and breaking the law. This is solely a social economics issue.

    Since I don’t steal software or music (theft is bad) then I don’t have to rationalize my own behavior and I can wholeheartedly disapprove without the need to feel hyprocritical when I also note the insanity of saying the two types of theft are the same.

    We don’t need stricter laws, we need lawmakers who understand the difference between economics and ethics.

  • Gary

    I would suggest threatening MS with jail time if they do not adopt a zero defects attitude for everyone of their miserable pieces of software. How about locking up Gates and Ballmer until a error free version of Windows is producted? Anybody that steals these bug ridden programs should have their heads examined.

  • Todd

    Boyce, I must disagree and I think that making distinctions like you do is exactly why there is so much confusion in this area. Stealing my software is not different than stealing my car. The owner is deprived of the right to control the disposition and use of his property. It is not solely an economics issue. It is just as much an ethical issue as theft of the car.

  • G

    I’m sorry, but the simple fact is that it is against the law… and everyone KNOWS it is illegal. If you do it, you have nothing to complain about if you get caught and have to pay the penalty. Sort of like getting pulled over when you’re going 80 on the freeway. Yes, everyone is doing it. No, in many cases it isn’t directly injuring anyone. But if a cop pulls you over, you just suck it up and take your punishment.

    And the idea of teens not knowing is nonsense. They might make that claim, but there aren’t many illegal activities that are as well documented as software & music piracy. It’s just the typical “untouchable” attitude… “I won’t get caught… plead ignorance.”

  • http://www.phantomcode.com Boyce

    “Stealing my software is not different than stealing my car.” – Todd

    The difference is that if I steal your car and also pirate your software, you still have the ability to use and distribute your software.

    There is no question that theft of any type is an ethical issue, but the point I contend is the nature of the theft which makes it an ethical issue. Both are illegal, both are ethically wrong, but there is a difference in exactly what makes them wrong and that is what I wanted to clearly point out.

  • Ryan

    Thats right kids, you should respect Microsoft’s intellectual property, download Linux, you’ll like it better.

    There, I educated, I feel all warm and fuzzy.