Ofcom has today published the final findings of a year-long study into how and why internet users access music, films, TV programmes, software, books and video games online – both legally and illegally.

The fourth wave of the Online Copyright Infringement Tracker shows results for the period March – May 2013.

The High Volume Infringers Analysis Report considered the behaviour of the most active copyright infringers over the period May 2012 – May 2013. This report’s findings include:

• Over the year, 17% of internet users infringed copyright online;
• 2% of internet users were responsible for 74% all online copyright infringement
• However, infringers also accounted for 32% by volume, and 40% by spend, of legally consumed digital content, spending more on average than non-infringers on both digital and physical content.

All the research was funded by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and carried out by Kantar Media on behalf of Ofcom. The reports contain details about the methodology used.

Source: Ofcom