Video Piracy Report: Millennials Don't Know They're Stealing

Video piracy has become so normalized for young adults that many of them don't realize they're doing something illegal.

According to a report released today by ad agency Anatomy Media, 69 percent of young adults age 18 to 24 use at least one form of video piracy, such as downloading, streaming, or mobile apps. Video piracy is seen as acceptable to young adults, with 24 percent believing streaming and downloading piracy are legal.

Password sharing is rampant for young adults: 61 percent of those surveyed who stream content access it with a shared password. This sharing continues even after the young person leaves their parents' home. Anatomy notes that the streaming services aren't cracking down on this by tracking unique users, so those that sell ads are missing out on subscription revenue.

Ad blockers are especially popular with young adults, with 2 out of 3 people using them on a desktop or mobile computer. The main reason given is to avoid video ads, but they're also used to give viewers more control, reduce mobile data charges, and speed access to desired content. While publishers could use technology that can detect ad blockers and prompt viewers to disable their software, of the 17 sites Anatomy surveyed only one (CBS) was doing so.

Anatomy drew its results from a Google consumer survey conducted this summer of 2,700 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States.

For more results, download Anatomy's report Millennials at the Gate for free (no registration required).

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