Illegal sharing of textbooks is both common and accepted among Danish students. The solutions must be found in cooperation with the educational institutions.
When Danish students at the higher education institutions need to get textbooks from the syllabus, many use illegal pdf-files instead of swiping their credit cards at the bookstore. As many as 48% of students, who use digital textbooks, acquire them illegally. This is the result of a new study by Epinion, compiled for Rights Alliance. The study was published at Rights Alliance’s Literature conference on Wednesday the 8th of June, attended by publishers, authors, bookshops, and representatives from the Danish higher educational institutions.
Digital textbooks are typically shared or sold illegally in pdf-files which originate from scanned physical copies, e-books, or Nota-files restricted to students with reading difficulties. The files are then shared in Facebook groups and Messenger, Google Drive, Dropbox, intranet, via email, or a USB. Most of the illegal sharing is between friends and classmates, but also tutors and lecturers share textbooks illegally with students to some extent.
Information on its own is not enough
For a long time, Rights Alliance has been spreading knowledge about the rules on copying textbooks, including through the campaign Os Der Elsker Viden. However, experience and the results of the study show that lack of knowledge is only part of the reason why students acquire digital textbooks illegally. 68% of students know that it is illegal to share digital textbooks without the permission of the rights holders, and 44% have been informed of the rules by their educational institutions. This indicates that students do not consider the potential consequences of illegal sharing, both in terms of personal risks of being penalized, but also that it contributes to undermining the economic and professional basis to produce Danish academic literature in the future.
The study also shows that illegal sharing is rooted in several inappropriate norms that characterize the culture among students. 68% find it acceptable for a student to share a digital textbook illegally with a friend or fellow student. The social acceptance of illegal sharing means that many students inappropriately perceive this as a favor to friends and an easy way to save money. It is therefore crucial that information is supplemented by concrete initiatives to change the basic norms behind students’ illegal consumption.
Cooperation between educational institutions and rightsholders is the solution
A significant cultural change is needed if Danish students are to change their behavior. The solutions must be found through close cooperation between the education institutions, publishers, and authors. At Wednesday’s literature conference, rights holders and education representatives exchanged experiences and ideas. Rights Alliance Director, Maria Fredenslund, is enthusiastic about this:
“In the context of the literature conference, we have met a great commitment and support from the educational institutions. It has been overwhelming to see the dialogue unfold between institutions and rights holders, and it shows that there is great potential in finding solutions together. This has paved the way for closer collaboration with the Danish educational institutions, which we look forward to addressing in the near future.”
