This document summarizes the results of an international survey on attitudes toward copying and remixing digital content. Some key findings include:
- Awareness and consumption of remixes like music mashups, video remixes, and machinima has increased significantly in the US over time.
- Consumption and engagement levels are generally highest in countries like the Philippines, India, and Singapore.
- US opinions on issues like originality and copyright have changed substantially between 2006-2014, with more respondents finding some level of copying to be acceptable.
- Criteria for evaluating the ethics of remixes and copies include permission, commercial use, authenticity, innovation, labor, and other factors. Respondent opinions
Ethics Evolved: An International Perspective on Copying in the Networked Age
1. ETHICS EVOLVEDAN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON
COPYING IN THE NETWORKED AGE
Aram Sinnreich, PhDâš
Associate Professorâš
American University SOC
Presented atâš
American University SOCâš
Faculty Forumâš
November 3, 2015
2. /INTRODUCTION/
MY PARENTSâ DINNER TABLE CONVERSATION, C. 1982
Yiddish
17%
Latin
22%
Curse Words
13%
Grownup English
29%
Regular English
19%
8. /SURVEY/
RESPONDENTS: ONLINE, ENGLISH-SPEAKING ADULTS
2006
1,779âš
U.S.
2014-15
452 U.S.âš
945 non-US
U.S. 452âš
U.K. 172âš
India 147âš
Australia 144âš
Canada 118âš
Philippines 83âš
New Zealand 52âš
Ireland 52âš
Singapore 52âš
South Africa 51âš
Malaysia 47
2010
1,100 U.S.âš
1,955 non-US
U.S. 971âš
India 291 âš
Turkey 270âš
Canada 148 âš
Canada 148âš
South Africa 146 âš
Philippines 129âš
Israel 64âš
Australia 63âš
Singapore 62âš
U.K. 52 âš
Sweden 41âš
Malaysia 40
10. /SURVEY/AWARENESS/
AWARENESS OF CONFIGURABLE CULTURE HAS JUMPED IN THE U.S.
PHOTOSHOP
MUSIC MASHUP
MODS
AMV
VID REMIX
MACHINIMA
NONE
0 25 50 75 100
17.9
11
27.6
21.5
16.6
24.1
42.8
14.6
10.6
31.8
25.1
12.9
31.4
39.6
1.3
40
53.8
57.1
58.4
77
90.3
US 2014
US 2010
US 2006
11. /SURVEY/AWARENESS/
MUSIC MASHUPS: U.S. AWARENESS BY AGE, 2006-2014
18-25
26-34
35-44
45-54
55+
0 25 50 75 100
8.3
20.7
26.8
28.8
49.2
21.1
21.8
36.9
48
60.4
51.5
65.8
71.6
82.1
85.8
US 2014
US 2010
US 2006
12. /SURVEY/AWARENESS/
MUSIC MASHUPS: AWARENESS BY NATION, 2010-2015
US
PHILIPPINES
UK
S. AFRICA
CANADA
SINGAPORE
AUSTRALIA
INDIA
0 25 50 75 100
44.3
30.2
41.9
41.2
47.9
34.6
56.6
31.4
42.2
44.4
57.7
61.9
62.8
69.8
69.9
77
2015
2010
14. â
/SURVEY/CONSUMPTION/
CONSUMPTION HAS SKYROCKETED IN THE U.S.
PHOTOSHOP
MUSIC MASHUP
MODS
VID REMIX
MACHINIMA
AMVS
NONE
0 25 50 75 100
44.4
7.1
5.2
10
6.9
11.9
14.5
4.9
19
20.1
25.2
38.9
43.4
68.1
US 2014
US 2010
15. /SURVEY/CONSUMPTION/
GENERAL CONSUMPTION BY NATION, 2010-2015
US
INDIA
PHILIPPINES
S. AFRICA
SINGAPORE
UK
CANADA
AUSTRALIA
0 25 50 75 100
59.3
61.4
60.4
80.4
70.6
88.4
86.2
55.6
60.4
73.7
75.6
80.8
86.3
91.6
94.6
95.1
2015
2010
18. /SURVEY/ENGAGEMENT/
MUSIC ENGAGEMENT BY NATION, 2010-2015
PHILIPPINES
SINGAPORE
US
INDIA
S. AFRICA
UK
CANADA
AUSTRALIA
0 25 50 75 100
73
73
65.4
89.7
92.1
64.7
90.3
98.4
75
78.2
87.2
94.1
95.2
95.8
96.2
98.8
2015
2010
19. /SURVEY/ENGAGEMENT/
VIDEO ENGAGEMENT BY NATION, 2010-2015
PHILIPPINES
INDIA
US
CANADA
S. AFRICA
UK
SINGAPORE
AUSTRALIA
0 25 50 75 100
52.4
69.4
53.8
71.9
53.4
53.8
84.5
84.5
59
65.4
68
70.6
75.4
87.2
92.5
92.8
2015
2010
20. /SURVEY/ENGAGEMENT/
MUSIC: U.S. ENGAGEMENT BY AGE, 2006-2014
18-25
26-34
35-44
45-54
55+
0 25 50 75 100
20.5
29.2
36.5
43
61.2
56.4
60.2
67.4
74.9
87.5
93.9
97.4
95.1
96.5
95.3
US 2014
US 2010
US 2006
21. /SURVEY/ENGAGEMENT/
CUSTOM MUSIC RADIO: U.S. ENGAGEMENT BY AGE, 2006-2014
18-25
26-34
35-44
45-54
55+
0 25 50 75 100
1.2
2.5
4.8
8
9.5
7.5
9.9
11.8
20.1
16.7
9.1
31.6
41.2
39.9
48.1
US 2014
US 2010
US 2006
22. /SURVEY/ENGAGEMENT/
GLOBAL AWARENESS VS. CONSUMPTION VS. ENGAGEMENT, 2014/15
PHOTOSHOP
MUSIC MASHUP
MEMES
VID REMIX
AMV
MACHINIMA
0 25 50 75 100
5
4
5
22
7
34
15
19
24
43
33
53
27
46
52
58
63
79
Awareness
Consumption
Engagement
30. /SURVEY/OPINIONS/
U.S. OPINIONS ABOUT ORIGINALITY BY EXPOSURE, 2015
Heard ofâš
Mashups
0
25
50
75
100 2.3
10.1
65.5
22.1
Original Sometimes Unoriginal No Answer
25
50
75
100
1.7
6.1
69.1
23.2
Heard ofâš
Machinima
25
50
75
100
1.6
8.9
65.9
23.6
Heard ofâš
AMVs
25
50
75
100
13.6
27.2
40.9
18.2
Never Heard of
These Four
25
50
75
100
1.6
10.3
64.6
23.5
Heard ofâš
Vid Remix
31. /SURVEY/OPINIONS/
ALL/SOME USES CAN BE âORIGINALâ, 2010-2015
US
PHILIPPINES
INDIA
SINGAPORE
CANADA
UK
MALAYSIA
S AFRICA
AUSTRALIA
0 25 50 75 100
44.4
56.8
65
55.8
52.7
56.5
51.9
62.8
54.8
45.1
58.8
63.8
65.1
65.3
65.4
68
79.5
84.1
2015
2010
32. /SURVEY/OPINIONS/
ALL/SOME USES SHOULDNâT REQUIRE PERMISSION, 2010-2015
US
PHILIPPINES
UK
MALAYSIA
CANADA
INDIA
SINGAPORE
S AFRICA
AUSTRALIA
0 25 50 75 100
34.9
44.5
56.5
45
45.3
52.5
50
47.3
44.6
38.9
49
51.9
54.4
55.1
57.4
58.7
62.7
79.4
2015
2010
34. /SURVEY/ETHICS/
THE ETHICS OF CONFIGURABILITY: 12 CRITERIA
Unethical Criterion (n = 574) Ethical
Unpermissioned Legal (91) Permissioned
For proïŹt Commercial (37) Not for proïŹt
Pretension AuthenAcity (24) Referenced
Unoriginal InnovaAon (121) Original
Easy Labor (7) Hard work
BastardizaAon Moral (8) Homage
Rupture ConAnuity (17) EvoluAon
Useless/Harmful Use Value (112) Fun/BeneïŹcial
Ugly AestheAc (69) BeauAful
Subversive Power RelaAons (37) Empowering
Meaningless Self Expression (35) Expressive
ExploitaAve Industry RelaAons (16) PromoAonal
35. /SURVEY/ETHICS/
CRITERION: AUTHENTICITY
âRemixes are enjoyed by some
people but those who are
making it should consider
crediting the owner of
material.ââš
- Filipino M, 30-34
âTheyâre ïŹne as long as
they arenât blatantly
ripping off other remixes.ââš
- U.S. M, 22-25
âRemixes are fun, but the
original creators should
be given their due credit
as well.â âš
- Irish F, 26-29
36. /SURVEY/ETHICS/
CRITERION: INNOVATION
âI have NEVER seen or
heard anything that, in
my opinion, is better than
the original.â âš
- Australian M, 70+
âI think mashups are a
form of musical art and
and sometimes even
sound better than the
original.ââš
- S. African M, 22-25
âSome remixes are very
innovative others are
poor copies.ââš
- U.K. M, 60-64
37. /SURVEY/ETHICS/
CRITERION: POWER RELATIONS
âI feel that technology has
moved to a point where
legislation can no longer keep
up with controlling permissions
on copyright materialsââš
- Australian M, 65-69
âThe DMCA system is
corrupted and abused to hell
and needs a reformââš
- U.S. M, 30-34
âi think major copyright reform is
required. The law has lost its
meaning. How does applying
copyright for 50 years after the
death of a person provide
incentives to continue creating.ââš
- Irish M, 30-34
38. /SURVEY/ETHICS/
CRITERION: INDUSTRY RELATIONS
âI think copyright holders
(music labels, movie
companies) could do more to
make material available to
talented remixers and masher-
uppers - supporting people
who can get their stuff to new
audiences could be a good
business move.ââš
- Australian F, 30-34
âSo long as the individual does not make
money from somebody's work, mashups
and remixes should be allowed. In my
eyes I see it as free advertisement.ââš
- U.K. M, 18-21
âI think large organizations should view
mash-ups as free advertising and be glad
that they're getting extra exposure, as
long as no one is making money off it..ââš
- Canadian F, 26-29
39. /SURVEY/ETHICS/
ETHICAL FRAMEWORKS VARY BY NATION (2014/15 DATA)
US Phil Aust Malay Canada NZ UK India S. Afr
Innovation
Use Value
Legal
Aesthetic
Power
Expression
Commercial
Authentic
Industry
Continuity
41. /COPYRIGHT LAW/
CHANGES AFOOT IN COPYRIGHT LANDSCAPE (OCTOBER 2015 EDITION)
TPP COMPLETION:âš
LONGER (C) TERMSâš
ANTI-CIRCUMVENTION
DRM MANDATEâš
RESTRICTIONS ON FAIR USE
CISA PASSAGE:âš
IDENTIFIES IP AS A
âCYBERSECURITYâ ISSUEâš
GRANTS LEGAL IMMUNITY FOR
CORPORATE SURVEILLANCE
FAIR USE WINS:âš
GOOGLE BOOKSâš
LENZ V. UNIVERSAL
TUFAMERICA V. JAY-Z
Domestic
OPEN LICENSING:âš
CREATIVE COMMONS:âš
1 BILLION LICENSED WORKSInternational
DMCA EXEMPTIONS