MeroPalo

One of the leading British law firms has published a report saying that around 30% of the file-sharers in the country admit that they are going to pirate more films, music, games, and e-books within the next year. Meanwhile, the same report says that 34%-36% of people who pay for their music and video will continue to purchase more.

Wiggin, one of the largest UK’s law firms, has published its 2012 Digital Entertainment Survey, which polled 2.500 citizens of the country and revealed quite interesting statistics. Its first part covered consumers’ entertainment activities, such as watching TV, listening to music or reading e-books. The results of the study showed that it wasn’t until the 34th position out of 40 when an illegal activity appears.

Moreover, 6% of respondents explained that they download films or TV shows from linking and hosting sites, and 5% admitted they download video content from regular file-sharing websites. As for the illegal music downloads, only 5% of people confirmed they did it, and 4% admitted to have downloaded e-books.

According to the study, file-sharing is mostly popular with male youth. 14% of 15-to-19-year-old men said they have downloaded films and TV-shows via file-sharing services, compared to 2% of women.

As the audience mature, the percentage drops, and it is only 1% for both men and women of 45 or older. The researchers point out that people who are already downloading from illegal sources aren’t likely to stop from their activities. Of people admitting about their file-sharing habits, 29% confirmed they would keep downloading more e-books, while 28% promised to download more games and software. The same number of respondents admitted they will continue downloading music content.

On the other hand, there’s a positive trend on the legal side of the issue. For example, of those already streaming ad-supported music, 27% promised do more within the next 12 months. In addition, 36% music enthusiasts already paying for a streaming subscription confirmed they would keep consuming more music in the future.

Finally, the survey also asked out the issue of regulating online content, and around 40% of respondents disagreed with the notion that the web should be regulated the same way as TV. However, a total of 58% said that it should.

By:
SaM

A week ago Kim Dotcom, recently bailed by the local authorities, released his own song called “John Banks Song” on YouTube.

Those who don’t know who John Banks is and how he is related to Kim Dotcom should know that he is the head of the ACT New Zealand political party, and the minister for Small Business and Regulatory Reform. MegaUpload’s founder reportedly donated $38.000 to his 2010 campaign for mayor of the city of Auckland, and is now to be questioned by local authorities over these claims.

Meanwhile, John Banks denies that he violated any elections legislation, and says that he didn’t visit Dotcom’s home to meet him. According to the political observers, his poll numbers decreased to 10% ever since the political scandal. There were quotes in the articles like the “crown lawyers acting for the US knew before seizing Kim’s money and property that they were using an invalid court order”.

Worse still, the local newspaper, which has been filling inquires through the Official Information Act, said that “police officers involved into raid in the mansion of online magnate Kim Dotcom went as far as to put together a list of belongings for the US authorities to seize”.

Last week, Prime Minister John Key denied that he knew Kim Dotcom until the day before the scandal, even though his senior ministers, a string of senior civil servants, and of course his own electorate staff were all involved in issues relating to him. It turned out that staff in the Prime Minister’s own department knew about MegaUpload’s founder and his bid through the Overseas Investment Office to purchase the house where he lived with his family.

By:
SaM

It seems that Facebook isn’t content with just harvesting information, and is currently looking into harvesting your organs. For real.

Actually, it’s not that fatal. Mark Zuckerberg is just planning to enable an option for Internet users to register as an organ donor via his social network. Thus far it seems to be entirely optional, and the experts failed to get alerted to anything in the Terms and Conditions about signing away access to your kidneys.

The NHS’ Blood and Transplant wing informs that around 10,000 people in the United Kingdom are waiting for a new organ. The thing is that although having an organ donor card means your ex vitals are legally up for grabs, in case of your family being too distraught at the idea the hospitals won’t proceed. However, the NHS believes that if you make it completely clear that you want your organs donated, your family is much more likely to consent.

The NHS told the press that only 50% of registered organ donors informed their families about their intention to donate their organs after death – and so the new registration process will be another way to bring in donations.

According to the NHS Blood and Transplant group’s director, Sally Johnson, Facebook could become a great way to get users talking about turning their bodies into carveries after they croak. Sally Johnson explained that the group really needs more people to sign up, so the Facebook campaign is a really exciting new way to make it as quick and easy as it only could be.

The largest social network in the world hopes to start such schemes in many other regions, but thus far it only has plans in the United States, Australia, and the Netherlands.

By:
SaM