Stephen E. Siwek

Using a well-established U.S. government model and the latest copyright piracy figures, this study concludes that, each year, copyright piracy from motion pictures, sound recordings, business and entertainment software and video games costs the U.S. economy $58.0 billion in total output, costs American workers 373,375 jobs and $16.3 billion in earnings, and costs federal, state, and local governments $2.6 billion in tax revenue.

“Piracy” of recorded music costs the U.S. sound recording industries billions of dollars in lost revenue and profits. These losses, however, represent only a fraction of the impact of recorded music piracy on the U.S. economy as a whole. Combining the latest data on worldwide piracy of recorded music with multipliers from a well established U.S. government model, this study concludes that recorded music piracy costs American workers significant losses in jobs and earnings, and governments substantial lost tax revenue.

Motion picture piracy costs the film industry billions of dollars in lost revenue, but this is only a fraction of its impact on the total U.S. economy. Combining the latest data on worldwide movie piracy with multipliers from a respected U.S. government model, this study concludes that motion picture piracy costs American workers significant losses in jobs and earnings, and costs governments enormous lost tax revenue.