Recent research and analysis on buying and downloading movies highlight a significant shift from "ownership" to "access," alongside critical legal debates about what "buying" a digital copy actually means. The "Digital Ownership" Illusion
Spending on buying movies (discs and digital) dropped 56% between 2011 and 2021 , falling to roughly $4.4 billion annually. buy movies and download online
While one study found 77% of U.S. consumers say they prefer to own content, financial data from nScreenMedia shows consumers spend 10 times more on streaming (SVOD) than on buying digital copies (EST). Recent research and analysis on buying and downloading
The shift to digital downloading and streaming has broader societal implications. consumers say they prefer to own content, financial
Global digital video piracy is estimated to cost the U.S. economy at least $29.2 billion in lost revenue annually.
A comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) found that while digital distribution is generally better for the environment than physical discs, its benefits disappear if it leads to more than 4x the amount of total movie viewing .
Research from Vanderbilt University explains that when you "buy" a movie on platforms like Amazon or Apple, you are often only purchasing a revocable license .
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