Ereading Women Over 35 Are Turning to Piracy

A new survey shows that 12.5 percent of ebook-owning women over 35 have admitted to pirating ebooks.

When the Kindle launched, as with all new gadgets, it was the tech-savvy gadget enthusiasts that paid the most attention. However, it wasn’t long before the Queen of Daytime TV, Oprah Winfrey, was singing the devices praises on national television. It was an endorsement that was heard around the world, and the Kindle was suddenly the hottest gadget a housewife could own.

Now, it seems the device (and others like it) is driving older women to piracy. The Telegraph reports that one in eight women over 35 who own an ereader admit to having downloaded an unlicensed ebook. In comparison, just one in 20 women of the same age group have admitted to downloading pirated music. With the popularity of ebooks and tablets rising by the day, it's not surprising that the number of people indulging in a few "free" ebooks is going up. However, the results of the survey show that even the folks we wouldn't consider the most likely candidates are guilty of this crime.

The results of the survey closely follow reports that digital book sales in the UK are on the rise. Earlier this month, the Publishers’ Association reported that though academic books still dominate ebook sales (accounting for £180 million), electronic book sales in 2010 shot up, rising from £4 million to £16 million.

Further Reading

Tom’s UK: Sales of Digital Books in the UK Take Flight