MPAA denies study that suggests piracy not as bad as it thinks

The MPAA has released what it describes as a ‘debunking' of the recent London School of Economics study that suggested piracy wasn't having anywhere near the negative impact that media lobbyists have been saying for years. The LSE's response? This is all par for the course.

The study was “debunked” by the MPAA on its official site – which aesthetically, is a perfect example of how media organisations know nothing of keeping with the times – where in all fairness to the group funded by major movie studios, it does have a few good points. Some of the LSE's study does make leaps of judgement and in a couple of instances, there are a couple of inconsistencies.

However as TorrentFreak points out, the MPAA then goes on to highlight studies that show the opposite of the LSE's findings, funnily enough suggesting one that was funded (at least in part) by the MPAA itself. Funny that.

Look into the orbs… piracy, bad. Spending £10 on a movie ticket regardless of quality or budget, good.

The LSE on the other hand, was more than expecting of the MPAA's tactics. Dr. Bart Cammaert, who co-authored the original report, said: “The main problem here is that the copyright and file sharing debate is waged in a highly ideological fashion. In other words, the industry is itself guilty of the allegations it fields at us. A closer reading of what we actually say in the reports shows furthermore that the industry has misread what we actually say.”

He goes on to argue that the study wasn't designed to show the MPAA as inherently evil or that piracy was inherently good, but that ultimately the media lobby groups are skewing the facts on the effects of piracy.

“Hence, one of the main aims of our policy briefs is to rebalance this and list, document, outline the counter-arguments to this repressive logic and to the same old tune that the internet is killing the video stars. From this perspective, the entertainment industry refuting and taking issue with our findings and conclusions is hardly surprising and as far as we’re concerned totally logical,” Cammaert adds.

KitGuru Says: The MPAA does have a few good points there, but it's just embarrassing the way it goes after these non-agenda-driven studies. I can't blame it too much though, it's gotta justify it's extortionate funding somehow. Did you know that despite cutting staff, the CEO of the MPAA, Chris Dodd, took home nearly $2.5 million last year? 

Become a Patron!