Predicting Moral Disengagement from the Harms associated with Digital Music Piracy: An Exploratory, Integrative Test of Digital Drift and the Criminal Interaction Order

• Published in: International journal of cyber criminology Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 133 - 150
• Main Authors: Popham, James F, Volpe, Claudia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thirunelveli International Journal of Cyber Criminology 01.01.2018
• Subjects: 21st century; Computers; Criminology; Cybercrime; Digital music; Empowerment; Ethics; Identity; Internet resources; Piracy; Social networks; Web 2.0
• ISSN: 0974-2891
• DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1467884

This exploratory paper estimates a predictive model for moral disengagement from harms associated with digital music piracy. Our approach is founded upon Goldsmith and Brewer's (2015) proposed digital criminal interaction order. This framework suggests that electronic resources (e.g. social media; message boards; digital texts; etc.) may act as proxy for conventional social interaction in learning deviant ideologies and developing neutralizing strategies. To the best of our knowledge, this theory has not yet been empirically tested. To this end we developed an integrated research tool and administered it to a non-random sample of 625 people. The test includes measures for technological competency; capacity to mask personal identity online; affinity modeling deviant behaviors encountered online; positive affect for engaging in digital deviance; and moral disengagement. A multiple linear regression of the standardized variables indicated that digital capacity for identity protection, affinity for modeling, and positive affect for digital deviance significantly predicted moral disengagement from the harms associated with digital music piracy (F = 94.011, p < .05, adj. R2 = .319). Further implications from these findings are discussed in relation to music piracy specifically, and digital deviance generally.