Internet users unaware of illegal downloading

Web users unwittingly turning into online pirates amid confusion over what constitutes illegal downloading, survey shows

Nearly half of the internet users surveyed incorrectly said they thought it was legal to upload commercially produced media to a file-sharing website. Photograph: Sean Smith for the Guardian

Internet users are unwittingly turning into online pirates over confusion about what constitutes illegal downloading.

As many as 44% of those who took part in an independent, online survey of 2,500 respondents in the survey commissioned by the law firm Wiggin incorrectly said they thought it was legal to upload commercially produced media to a file-sharing website, or did not know whether it was lawful or not.

More than a third – 35% – inaccurately claimed it was legal to copy a film or TV show as a file from a friend, or admitted they didn't know if it was legal.

Most respondents, however, agreed that copyright is important and that infringement should be prevented: 68% said it was necessary to protect the creative industries from piracy, up from 55% in 2010.

However, almost two-thirds admitted they regularly use search engines such as Google to find unauthorised content. Over one in four used search engines on a daily basis to find such material.