• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, June 21, 2005

Teenagers and adults in their 20s view peer-to-peer networks far more favorably than consumers who are older than 30, according to a report released Monday by the Toronto-based Solutions Research Group.

The study--based on a May telephone survey of 1,062 U.S. respondents ages 12 and older--found that more than half (57 percent) of consumers between the ages of 12 and 19, and exactly 50 percent of respondents in their 20s, indicated that file-sharing services should be allowed. At the same time, the majority (51 percent) of respondents age 30 and over indicated that such services should be outlawed.

Kaan Yigit, president of Solutions Research Group, said the study confirms a deep divide between the generations. "The attitude towards who owns what--and the value of it, and who pays for it--is shifting," he said. Teens are more inclined to view file-sharing as a "victimless crime," Yigit said, while Baby Boomers are more "engaged with the idea of intellectual property."

Peer-to-peer networks can be used to share pirated copies of music, movies, and television shows. The U.S. Supreme Court currently is considering whether such networks can be held liable for any copyright violations they enable. Most court-watchers expect a decision in the next few weeks--perhaps as early as Thursday.