Digital piracy through the lens of moral intensity and risk perception : a cross-cultural perspective

Kos Koklič, Mateja (author), Kukar-Kinney, Monika (author), Vida, Irena (author)

This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying digital piracy and proposes a framework that considers the perception of potential negative consequences for the individual (personal risk) and for society (moral intensity) as key factors associated with piracy behavior and rationalization. The conceptual model is tested using online survey data from two online panel samples of adults in the US (n = 625, age range = [18, 92], M = 42.44, SD = 16.43) and Slovenia (n = 514, age range = [18, 65], M = 43.51, SD = 13.14). The multi-group analysis indicates that perceived moral intensity is related to both lower participation in digital piracy and lower rationalization of this behavior in both countries. Furthermore, perceived personal risk is linked with lower likelihood of having ever engaged in piracy, but it is not significantly associated with either frequency of piracy behavior or rationalization for those who have engaged in digital piracy at least once in either country. This suggests that concern for individual consequences is not a deciding factor in determining frequency of piracy. The results also show that engaging in digital piracy is associated with cognitive rationalization strategies and with greater normalization of such behavior. These findings highlight the interplay between perceptions of potential negative consequences, digital piracy behavior, and rationalization and provide a basis for practical implications, particularly for marketers in the online entertainment industry.

• Language: English
• Keywords: social networks, social communication, behavioural sciences, ethics, digital piracy, personal risk, moral intensity, rationalization, USA, Slovenia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 21 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 20, iss. 3, article no. 11
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185047
• UDC: 159.98
• ISSN on article: 1802-7962
• DOI: 10.5817/CP2026-3-11
• COBISS.SI-ID: 282813699
• Publication date in RUL: 21.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Cyberpsychology
• Shortened title: Cyberpsychology
• Publisher: Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University
• ISSN: 1802-7962
• COBISS.SI-ID: 515798041

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: družbena omrežja, družbeno komuniciranje, vedenjske znanosti, etika

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0128
• Name: Izzivi vključujočega in trajnostnega razvoja v prevladujoči paradigmi ekonomskih in poslovnih znanosti