82% of people admit downloading content illegally

Some 82% of people have downloaded content from the web illegally, according to a survey of more than 1,600 people.

The study was commissioned by discount website www.MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.

The findings were:

• 82% of people who use the internet have downloaded a file illegally in the past.
• 24% have watched streamed movies online,
• 32% have downloaded films that were still on at the cinema.

Of those who said they had downloaded files illegally:

• 35% have used torrent websites
• 78% have used peer-to-peer programs
• 52% have tried streaming illegal video and music content
• 8% have sold illegal content that they had downloaded.

Men were found to be more likely to download illegal files, with 85% saying they done so, compared to 79% of women.

• 47% said they did not think of it as crime
• 64% said they downloaded content illegally to save money
• 26% were "too impatient" to wait for films and music to be officially released.

The most downloaded files were:

• MP3s - 76%
• Movies - 71%
• Video games - 68%
• Software - 65%
• TV shows - 60%
• Sports - 57%
• Copyrighted images - 53%
• Databases - 21%