Movies file sharing is similarly frowned upon in the P2P community. Though not practiced as much as music file sharing, if for no other reason than the files are so darn big, movie file sharing is still a problem for the MPAA and still a treasure trove of riches go on being shared in movie P2P networks. A report released by the Solutions Research Group in early 2006 actually shows some startling statistics.

According to this report, 32 million Americans age 12 and over (18% of the online population in the US) had downloaded a full length movie in the past; 20 million of these have done so regularly.

Most folks who operate movie downloads (80%) use only P2P file sharing sites. This startling number has doubled from 2005 to 2006.

A typical person who downloads movies is 29 years old and has at least fifteen movies stored on the computer at any one time.

63% are men who download movies and 37% are women

One of the biggest problems the Motion Picture Association is having is altering people’s perceptions of what is okay. In the same Solutions Research Group study, there seems to be a disconnect between what people think about movie file sharing and what the precedent was that was set by the Supreme Court. 40% of those surveyed believe downloading copyrighted movies from the web is “a very serious offense,” while 78% believe that taking a DVD from a store without paying for it is. Those same Americans believed in far stronger number (59%) that parking in a fire land was a very serious offense.

Movie file sharing on P2P networks is here and it’s here to stay. Many believe that the studios need to be more flexible with their releases to the online marketplace. They also need to be a lot stricter about reproduction controls so that the movies that end up online will turn away the discerning viewer.

For those on the inside, from the studios or from the advertising departments they need to respect the fact that any previews, clips, or full copies of movies that are put up online will find a permanent home! They absolutely will; there’s no way around it. When you put Brad or Denzel or Julia or any other beautiful, famous, lauded person in an, until that moment, unseen clip or full feature, you can bet that the ravens will descend. So be wise about what you let leak; your own negligence is in part to blame!