An Analysis of Claimed Relationships between iTunes Sales in France and Hadopi

Paper: Hadopi and iTunes.pdf (241KB)

Data file: Hadopi and iTunes Data.xls (469KB)

Abstract

Online infringement of copyright is a popular subject for debate both within governments, parliaments and major businesses, and among the wider population on the Internet. However, in these debates many figures and statistics are presented without being critically examined. This paper attempts to perform such an examination on one such claim.

The claim comes from a study published in 2012 which was reported to demonstrate the effectiveness of a French ‘anti-piracy’ law. This paper introduces the Study then discusses its methodology and conclusions, comparing with what has been reported. The paper notes possible areas of criticism in both aspects, and presents alternate explanations for the observed data.

It should be noted that this paper does not seek to overturn the findings of the Study, nor criticise its authors. It merely notes that the conclusions drawn should not be considered proven, and not used in debates without an understanding of the level of accuracy and reliability.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.