Students ‘worst’ at e-book piracy, says data monitor

NetNames says its investigators looked at the availability of 50 popular textbooks across five different disciplines in the UK. In total, 76 pr ecnt of the titles were available to download free in pirated form on one e-book sharing site. NetNames says publishers are trying to beat piracy by getting their content out to users […]

NetNames says its investigators looked at the availability of 50 popular textbooks across five different disciplines in the UK.
In total, 76 pr ecnt of the titles were available to download free in pirated form on one e-book sharing site.
NetNames says publishers are trying to beat piracy by getting their content out to users as quickly as they can.
Science and engineering were the most pirated academic textbooks.
NetNames’ director of piracy analysis, David Price, says the expense of educational books could be the problem.
“It’s something we’ve been talking to publishers about,” he said.
“We talk to all content owners about this sort of thing. The best way to beat piracy is to get your content out there, to give it to people in some way or make them buy it in some simple, cheap, easy way.”
Nineteen-year-old student Jubel Amin, who’s studying pharmacology and physiology, says textbooks are extremely expensive.
He says he had to buy two and that they cost him in excess of £180.
“The thing is these books will last us for three years, so it is worth it in the long run,” he said.
“But it’s quite expensive. It took about a fifth of my student finance loan, but it’s one of those things you have to do I guess.” (BBC)