P2P software loses field - sharing files through MP3 players gains popularity

A new survey from Pew suggests that lawsuits against file sharers and p2p software makers caused consumers to use other ways of sharing illegal files on the internet. The survey states that nearly 19 percent of the music and video downloaders now shares files through MP3 players and e-mail or instant messaging clients.

Around 27 percent of Internet users surveyed by Pew said they downloaded either music or video files over the Internet, and 48 percent of all those who downloaded said they use sources other than P-to-P networks or premium online services, such as Apple Computer's ITunes, to get music or video files. Pew estimates that about 18 million Americans are swapping files using nontraditional means based on the survey results.

About 25 percent of the downloaders said to have received files through instant messaging and e-mail clients.

The report also suggest that lawsuits have caused people to avoid usage of peer-to-peer (p2p) programs such as Kazaa. Nearly thirty percent of the respondents said they quit using these programs because they feared to get in trouble.

More info at PC World