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Six-year-olds are illegally downloading TV shows
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor14 Jan 2010
Children as young as six are illegally downloading TV shows before they are aired in Britain, research has found.
Shows such as Glee, Heroes, Lost and House can be downloaded hours after they are broadcast in the US, and played back on a computer or TV.
Some 31 per cent of children aged six to 14 admit they regularly watch programmes illegally, either by downloading or streaming them to a TV, according to the study published today.
Sixteen per cent also download pirate films before they are released, the survey of 4,347 children found.
“We were incredibly surprised by how young these children are — for six-year-olds to be downloading is astonishing,” said Justin Pearse, editor of in New Media Age magazine, which commissioned the study.
“Kids are leading the way when it comes to the convergence of broadcast television and the internet.
However, there are also legal issues, and parents only have themselves to blame if they are not monitoring what their children are doing online.
“Copyright and legality don't seem to be a barrier for kids — if they want to see something before it's on TV or DVD, they'll just get it online.”
The problem is so bad it could force broadcasters to air shows at the same time as in the US.
David Price of Envisiona, which monitors illegal downloads, said: “Downloading TV has always been a huge problem in the UK, as people have to wait so long after the US broadcasts.
“With the most popular shows, like Heroes and Lost, UK broadcasters have been forced to move transmissions to a day or two after the US.
“Within two years that will have to become the case for most shows. The problem is that downloading is so easy and the quality is very high. You can even download high definition. My three-year-old uses YouTube, which works in a similar way.”
Watchdogs have called for online TV services to put strict controls in place to stop young viewers accessing adult programmes.
Vivienne Pattison of Mediawatch UK said: “Ofcom's most recent research found that fewer than a third of parents use parental controls or are confident about how to use them.”
Top 10 illegal downloads
1. Lost Hit series following band of unfortunates marooned on an island following a plane crash
2. Heroes Sci-fi tales of ordinary folk with superpowers
3. House Hugh Laurie as grouchy but brilliant hospital medic
4. Gossip Girl Beautiful teen angst in an exclusive New York school.
5. Dexter Forensics expert by day, serial killer after hours
6. The Simpsons Long-running antics of animated yellow family
7. Desperate Housewives Ladies bring scandal to Wisteria Lane.
8. Family Guy Animated comedy
9. Smallville Superman prequel
10. Stargate Atlantis Big-budget time-travelling sci-fi
Reader views (8)
Yvonne - American Idol is shown the day after it is aired in the states not a year after.
- Lisa, Luton, UK, 15/01/2010 14:33
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..except your story doesn't actually say there are 6 year olds downloading, just that 31% of a particular range interviewed between 6 and 14 years old do. More likely to be the older ones of this range downloading, no?
- Huw, Camberwell, UK, 14/01/2010 20:21
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another load of old cods ,so companies can try and censor the net more.if you know any 6 year olds than can follow losts plotline send em round to my house to explain it to me
- Jo, london, 14/01/2010 16:23
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Good for the 4-year-olds! We in the UK get American Idol a whole year after it's been aired in the States (and we already know the result of the one currently airing on ITV2, so why bother watching?). If I could be bothered myself, I'd be downloading too.
- Yvonne, Doncaster, UK, 14/01/2010 15:13
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Good, maybe it'll push the Amrican tv companies to release their programming worldwide at the same time. Frankly, if I can get it 6 months beforehand with the adverts removed then I will.
- Bob, Cheam, 14/01/2010 14:08
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Show the TV shows on the same day on both sides of the Atlantic, you have to wait months in some cases as is the case with V the remake shown in Oct in the States, but this March over here!
If you have an American credit card you can watch TV shows on iTunes before it's released in the UK as well.
- P Staker, London, W8, 14/01/2010 13:24
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O no there not are they! those naughty 6 yr olds,They must be punished,we must bring back corporal punishment,cane there fingers,they would think twice then.Next they will be downloading music.
- Kev, London uk, 14/01/2010 12:10
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Of course they are.
Who want's to wait for a show originally airing in the States to air here, when you can have it minutes after airing by downloading.
Basically i'm saying, Sky/Virgin get the american channels in your listing.
- Anon, London, 14/01/2010 11:26
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