Impact of P2P and Free Distribution on Book Sales

Background on Piracy and the Use of Free Content

While some publishers have experimented with free digital distribution of book content, the tests to date are limited and the results have been at times inconclusive or contradictory. In this section, we consider some of that history, the viewpoints of publishers (including O’Reilly), and the rationale for revisiting the topic of free distribution of digital content.

File Sharing Outside Publishing

Section 3 provides an overview of the evolution of file-sharing from its origins in the 1980s through today. While the roots of file sharing are and remain legitimate, the “many-to-many” nature of Web content sharing opens the door to unauthorized distribution of intellectual property. This potential threat has been felt across several industries whose content is either bought directly (music, subscription cable) or sold against (network television). These industries have experience with unauthorized distribution that predates that of book publishers and may suggest approaches that can, or can’t, be used when considering pirated content.

Both the music and motion picture industries have fought to stop or significantly hinder illegal file sharing. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has sponsored or supported numerous lawsuits that it claims have “arrested the growth of a [problem] that would have grown worse and worse.” The suits are not limited to P2P networks. In the last five years, the RIAA has also sought damages from ...