|
|
|
|
Home > News & Events > Press Releases > 2007 > Eight in 10 young Singaporeans Support IP Protection
|
Eight in 10 young Singaporeans Support IP Protection
|
Singapore, 25 April 2007 – On the eve of World IP day, an online survey to investigate young Singaporeans’ awareness of and attitudes towards Intellectual Property (IP) has revealed that eight in 10 respondents surveyed are conscious of the importance of protecting ideas and creations. Thirty-three percent say they think about the consequences of buying copies of pirated or counterfeit products.
Ms Liew Woon Yin, Director-General of IPOS said,
"Although less than half of the respondents have expressed that they are not bothered or affected by IP infringement, six out of 10 feel that legal consequences will stop them from downloading unauthorised material and this is especially so amongst the educated adults. This highlights the need to continue to promote greater awareness among young Singaporeans of the negative impact of IP infringement. Not only can it attract possible criminal or civil action against the infringers, it is also detrimental to the livelihoods of many people and the industries that generate IP content, such as in film, and music." Commissioned by IPOS, the survey also investigated young Singaporeans’ awareness and perceptions of Honour Intellectual Property (HIP) Alliance, an IPOS initiative that brings together a group of public and private sector organisations and industry associations with a common interest in pursuing the need for education on IP. Although only 25 percent of respondents are aware of HIP Alliance itself, 74 percent say they recall the slogan “Say NO! to Piracy”, part of HIP Alliance’s advertising campaign last year to encourage respect for original creative works.
According to a peer investigation research conducted prior to the online survey, youth commonly engage in online downloading of music, television series, movies and game. In addition, more than half of respondents say usage of the Internet should not cost anything and believe that content there is in the public domain. To address these issues, IPOS is focusing on education about online piracy as a theme for 2007. HIP Alliance will launch a brand new advertising campaign on World IP Day tomorrow to target young people who are currently engaging in online piracy.
"As the use of the Internet becomes increasingly common among youth, there remains the need to address young Singaporeans’ perceptions of the Internet and the information available there. The new advertisements have been developed to be more personal and contemporary to increase their understanding of the impact of online piracy on their lives, the original creators and the very content they enjoy," added Ms Liew.
"The launch of the new campaign also coincides with World IP Day, an opportunity each year to reflect on the role of IP in today’s society, and to increase awareness, understanding and respect towards IP." Other key findings from the survey include:
Forty-two percent of all respondents think piracy and counterfeiting is acceptable, with 19 percent of them citing that it is fine if the price of the original product is beyond their means. However, majority of the respondents (58 percent) feel that piracy and counterfeiting is not correct.
While cost was cited as the biggest barrier to IP protection, at least seven out of 10 respondents say that supporting local creativity is the most important factor in motivating them to protect IP. Seven out of 10 respondents also say they will buy original products to support their favourite artist.
Mr Anton Ravindran, Chairman of IIAS (Internet Industry Association of Singapore) said, “The Internet Industry Association of Singapore is working with IPOS in developing initiatives to promote greater respect among young Singaporeans towards IP online. Illegal downloading and file sharing not only subjects offenders to risks such as computer viruses and loss of personal data for others to exploit, they can also result in severe legal and civil penalties. Empowering parents to protect their children from IP infringement online is a key element in the fight against online piracy.”
To educate both parents and children on IP and the risks associated with online piracy, IPOS and IIAS are jointly organising a public seminar to educate parents on what IP is and what constitutes IP infringement so they can protect themselves and their children from the risks of IP infringement.
Ms Liew concluded,
"With World IP Day tomorrow, the announcement of these survey results is a timely opportunity to remind Singaporeans of the importance of protecting IP and the risks associated with infringement. IPOS and HIP Alliance are committed to educating Singaporeans by working with various partners and organisations to develop further initiatives and have a real impact on the protection of IP in Singapore."
For media enquiry, please contact:
Angelia Chia
Media & Marketing Communications Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
DID: +65 6331 6572
Hp: +65 9763 0452
Email: angelia_chia@ipos.gov.sg |
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore or IPOS is the lead government agency that formulates and regulates Intellectual Property (IP) laws, promotes IP awareness and provides the infrastructure to facilitate the greater development of IP in Singapore. With IP fast becoming a critical resource in today’s new economy, IPOS’ vision is to foster a creative Singapore where ideas and intellectual efforts are valued, developed and exploited. Formerly known as the Registry of Trade Marks and Patents, IPOS was established as a statutory board of the Ministry of Law on 1 April 2001. More information on IPOS can be found on www.ipos.gov.sg.
The Internet Industry Association of Singapore (IIAS) is an independent association that aims to represent the views and concerns of the Internet industry, provide advocacy on a range of business and regulatory issues, reinforce security awareness and initiatives to enhance access, equity, reliability and growth of the Internet medium in Singapore, as well as facilitate networking among member organizations. IIAS is a member of the International Internet Industry Alliance. (IIIA)
HIP stands for Honour Intellectual Property. It is IPOS’ key educational initiative to encourage innovation and creativity in Singapore, with strong support from the private sector, public sector and industry associations. HIP aims to promote a positive attitude towards IP and encourages a Pro-IP lifestyle for everyone to ‘Be Creative, Be Original, and Be HIP’. With support from the HIP Alliance members, IPOS intends to motivate the Singapore community to join together to ‘Say No to Piracy’ and support legitimate businesses that create legitimate products and services to make Singapore an IP safe country. For more information, please visit http://www.hipfriends.org.sg
Current HIP Alliance Members include:
- Alliance Entertainment Ltd
- Anti-Video Piracy Associaiton of Singapore (AVPAS)
- Business Software Alliance (BSA)
- CineNow Singapore Pte Ltd
- Composers and Authors Society of Singapore Pte Ltd (COMPASS)
- Electronic Arts (EA)
- Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
- Game Axis
- Giordano Originals (S) Pte Ltd
- Hewlett-Packard Far East Pte Ltd
- International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC)
- LEVIS Strauss & Co
- Microsoft Singapore Pte Ltd
- Motion Picture Association (MPA)
- MovieXclusive.com
- Music Publishers (S) Ltd
- Odex Pte Ltd
- POWER 98FM
- Recording Industry Association of Singapore (RIAS)
- RotiBoy Bakeshoppe
- Scorpio East Entertainment Pte Ltd
- Singapore Ministry of Education (Curriculum Planning & Development Division)
- Singapore Police Force (Intellectual Property Rights Branch)
- Soundbuzz Pte Ltd
- The Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore Limited (CLASS)
- W!LD RICE
|
|
| |
|
| Top |
Last updated on 05 Oct 2011 |
|
|