Digital Piracy: 53 Billion Visits a Year to Suspect Websites

 A study report released by the U.S Chamber of Commerce states that there are websites that allow people to download or sell pirated copies of digital goods from cheap web hosting torrent sites and others (movies, music and software etc.) get 146 million hits everyday or 53 billion visits a year. The U.S Chamber of Commerce conducted the study with the help of brand watch and protection firm MarkMonitor.

Though the study is not clear in absolute terms how many visits were legal and how many were illegal, but claims that the huge traffic has given rise to the suspicion that all could not be fair in the hits and many of them could be illegal. Counterfeit prescription drugs get 51 million hits and counterfeit physical goods get 87 million hits in a year. The big numbers - 146 million hits per day to 43 websites is a cause for concern, reports the study.

It is undoubtedly unfair if the websites studied are truly indulging in piracy as thousands put in hard work and their creative skills in making the movies and digital music. Steve Tepp, senior director of Internet counterfeiting and piracy for the Global Intellectual Property Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is of the opinion that, "Whether it is the sale of counterfeit bags and fake pharmaceuticals or illegal distribution of movies, music, and software, online IP theft is theft-plain and simple."

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However, many strongly feel that the study is irrelevant. It doesn't establish concretely which web hosting sites allow illegal download or sales and how many each day. Some of the websites named as rogue sites by the report, such as RapidShare, have cleared their names after fighting several cases of copyright infringement allegations. And the high traffic figures could mean nothing as the number of online users is increasing everyday and the sale of digital albums were up in 2010.

The report seems to be calling for the enactment of the controversial Combating Online Infringement & Counterfeits Act (COICA). This act would enable the government to crack down on pirate websites. But allegation made by the report lacks credibility as it is merely speculative without concrete evidence.

I'm 19 and from Devon, England. I like computers, surfing, music, and television though I'm not quite sure what to do with my life. I finished college last year, read every day and spend too much time on the internet. I usually write reviews and think-pieces about IT, cheap web hosting, tech, gadgets Google and whatever else strikes my fancy.