The three focus groups used in this research study were comprised of a total of twenty-two students, with a total of ten male student participants and twelve female student participants from three different campus schools. The Radio, Television, and Film (RTVF) focus group included a total of nine students (3 males, 6 females). The Music focus group included a total of six students (5 males, 1 female). The Business focus group included a total of seven students (2 males, 5 females).

The pilot study used in this thesis aimed to address four questions regarding online music piracy in colleges and universities. Research question #1 asked, What are students’ attitudes toward online music piracy in colleges and universities? This question was primarily concerned with students’ personal feelings regarding online music piracy and the reasoning they had for engaging in online music piracy.

The Online Music File Sharing Survey administered to the participants found the majority of the students (15 out of 22) had participated in file sharing of copyrighted music online. Of the fifteen students who indicated they had participated in online music piracy, only one student indicated she provides copyrighted music for others to download. The majority of the students only downloaded files. The majority of student participants (15 out of 22) felt it was acceptable to download a copyrighted song from the Internet for free, while three students were undecided. However, half of the student participants (11 out of 22) indicated they felt it was unacceptable to download an entire music album from the Internet for free, while two students were undecided. This could indicate students do not have a completely care free attitude regarding online music piracy, and though they may actively engage in the act, they do draw the line at some point.

But the perception of some students changed slightly when asked about music they had previously purchased. The majority of student participants (13 out of 22) indicated they felt it was acceptable to illegally download an entire music album of a CD they previously bought, but had lost or damaged. Although this act remains a form of online music piracy, the reasoning of the students seems to indicate they believed they should continue to have ownership of the music they purchase, even if they no longer own the physical medium in which it was originally distributed.

While student participants believed engaging in online music piracy was acceptable and justifiable in some cases, some students in this study did realize participating in such activities could eventually lead to trouble. Over half of the student participants (12 out of 22) indicated participating in file sharing networks could ultimately lead to their actions being uncovered and having lawsuits filed against them by copyright holders. The results lend themselves to an assumption indicating, while the majority of students felt illegally acquiring music online definitely poses a risk, they still felt it was acceptable to engage in such an act.

Research question #2 asked,How do students feel about the RIAA and the measures being taken to combat online music piracy? This question was primarily concerned with students’ attitudes toward the recording industry and their individual opinions on the tactics the recording industry is using to stop online music piracy.

The majority of the student participants (14 out of 22) felt they were well informed about the legal battles being waged between the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), individual file sharers, and file sharing services. This possibly suggests the majority of the student participants knew what had been going on, and could make a valid assessment of their feelings toward the recording industry. The majority of student participants (14 out of 22) indicated the cost of CD’s had forced individuals to rely on illegal methods of attaining music. Three-fourths of the student participants (17 out of 22) felt individuals should not be sued for engaging in the illegal sharing of copyrighted music on the Internet. This might indicate the majority of the students in this pilot study felt they are not to blame for the current state of piracy, and thus should not be held legally responsible.

When responding to questions dealing with the recording industry itself, the students shared mixed feelings. Most of the participants in this study seemed to harbor negative feelings toward the RIAA. These negative feelings might stem from the RIAA’s tactic of filing subpoenas and suing individuals for engaging in online music piracy. As is shown in Figure 5.1, the majority of student participants blamed the RIAA for the current state of online music piracy. Thirty-six percent of the student participants (n=8) believed most of the blame deserved to be placed on the RIAA, twenty-seven percent of student participants (n=6) believed the price of music CD’s was to blame, twenty-three percent of all student participants (n=5) believed most of the blame should be placed on the file sharing services, and only fourteen percent of the student participants (n=3) believed individual users were to blame. The majority of students (13 out of 22) also indicated they believed the claims of the RIAA are being exaggerated in its fight against online music piracy. The results suggest the student participants in this pilot study have negative feelings toward the recording industry, along with mistrust in the issues the recording industry addresses.

When addressing the measures being taken to combat online music piracy, the student participants had reserved feelings as to the effectiveness of these tactics. The majority of students indicated they believed the subpoenas and lawsuits by the RIAA would have no long term, if any, effect on the amount of copyrighted music shared illegally online. According to the student participants in the focus groups, the RIAA’s campaign designed to educate individuals about the harmful effects and seriousness of online music piracy, and persuade them to refrain from illegal file sharing, had not been successful. The majority of the student participants (14 out of 22) indicated the recent publicity surrounding online music piracy had not changed their views regarding illegal file sharing and fair use of copyrighted material.

Research question #3 asked, Does students’ rationale for committing online music piracy involve confusion between the concepts of “sharing” and “stealing”? This question was aimed at determining whether students classify online music piracy as stealing. Students could believe because online music piracy does not involve taking a physical object from a store, it is not a form of stealing. The majority of student participants (13 out of 22) indicated they believed illegal file sharing of copyrighted music was a form of stealing. This distinction will be discussed in greater detail later in this chapter and in Chapter 6 when Kohlberg’s theory and the DIT are applied.

Research question #4 asked, How do the measured morality judgment characteristics of individuals relate to their involvement in online music file sharing? Research question #4 used the Defining Issues Test (DIT), a research tool used for stimulating and measuring an individual’s moral schemas, or mental patterns. The DIT presents an individual with dilemmas, questions, and statements, and uses a Likert scale so a subject can rate and rank the items in terms of their moral importance. After the DIT tests were analyzed and results were calculated by the University of Minnesota’s Center for the Study of Ethical Development, the answers of one female student were purged because the student’s total score was unusually high, which suggested she had provided bogus data.

While addressing research question #4, this pilot study was interested in determining which of Kohlberg’s stages the student participants mostly used. The DIT provided three sets of scores which were representative of moral reasoning at particular stages of Kohlberg’s theory (see Figure 5.2). These scores were not based on a scale, but rather indicate the portion of items a participant selected. The higher the score, the larger the portion of items selected.

The Personal Interest score represents the portion of items selected which appeal to Kohlberg’s Stage 2 (Personal Reward Orientation) and Stage 3 (Good Boy-Nice Girl Orientation) . Kohlberg’s Stage 2 suggests an individual performs morally in order to receive rewards and gain benefits, while Kohlberg’s Stage 3 suggests an individual performs morally to maintain trust and gain social approval from others. In this pilot study, the student participants recorded lower average Personal Interest scores (24.57) than in either of the two other Kohlberg stage measuring scores. This means, as a whole, student participants referred little to moral reasoning indicative of someone at stages 2 and 3 of Kohlberg’s theory.

The Maintaining Norms score represents the proportion of items which appeal to Kohlberg’s Stage 4 (Law and Order Orientation) . Individuals at this stage usually conform to authority in order to avoid guilt or censure. A high Maintaining Norms score would suggest an individual mostly uses Stage 4 when conducting moral reasoning. In this pilot study, students were measured as having an average Maintaining Norms score of 33.33.

The Postconventional score (P score) represents the proportion of items selected which appeal to Kohlberg’s Stage 5 (Social Contact Orientation) and Stage 6 (Universal Ethical Orientation). Kohlberg’s stage 5 suggests when reasoning morally, an individual exhibits concern for the protection of the rights of the minority, while Kohlberg’s stage 6 suggests when reasoning morally, an individual has universal compassion and respect for human personality and dignity. In this pilot study, the student participants recorded higher average Postconventional scores (37.14) than in either of the two other Kohlberg stage measuring scores. However, there were indications throughout the DIT which suggested the student participants often reasoned across the different stages of Kohlberg’s theory.