Abstract:

Developments in digital compression and communication technologies provided authentic chances for interaction and information sharing whereas such advances have also increased the volume of unauthorized downloading and duplication. This has created concerns for intellectual property rights since the volume and value of unlicensed software used in personal computers increase every year. The piracy rates in developing countries are generally quite higher than the worldwide average. In this regard, the current study tried to investigate the antecedents of digital piracy intentions in a developing country through proposing structural equation models across different samples. More specifically, the current structural equation model proposed several variables to predict digital piracy behaviors through resorting to the assumptions of different theoretical frameworks such as the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior. Interrelationships among the predictor variables were tested with 268 high school students, 610 undergraduate students and 406 adults. The model revealed acceptable or perfect fit values across the three samples. Comparisons with previous models were followed by implications and suggestions for further research.

Keywords:

Digital piracy, computer ethics, the theory of planned behavior.