One-third of all young people use stream ripping to steal music, global study shows

According to the study, 34% of all 16- to 24-year-old music listeners surveyed admitted to using 'stream ripping' apps or services to illegally copy music. — AFP Relaxnews

LOS ANGELES: IFPI, an organisation that represents the music industry around the world, has released its annual report on global music consumption, and while it includes some encouraging figures about the increased adoption of legal streaming, there are alarming numbers about the everyday acceptance of piracy.

According to the study, 34% of all 16- to 24-year-old music listeners surveyed admitted to using "stream ripping" apps or services to illegally copy music. When all respondents (ages 16 to 64) are factored in, the overall number of admitted stream rippers globally is 23%. "Stream ripping is the illegal practice of creating a downloadable file from content that is available to stream online," the study says. "It is now the most prevalent form of online music copyright infringement."