Education & Training

Information seeking, sharing behaviour, and copyright violations among students in India in the digital age

Information seeking, sharing behaviour, and copyright violations among students in India in the digital age

The study finds that many students in India engage in copyright infringement, either deliberately or unwittingly.

Authors

Subaveerapandiyan A., Department of Library and Information Science, DMI-St. Eugene University, Lusaka, Zambia.

Priyanka Sinha, Department of Library and Information Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.

Madhuri Kumari, Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, India.

Mohammad Amees, Global Library, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.

Summary

The present study investigates information-sharing behaviour and awareness of students towards the infringement of copyright and associated rights while information sharing. The purpose of this study is to seek answers to the issue of whether or not students infringe on the rights of others and, if they do, whether they do so deliberately or unwittingly. Even though the Copyright Act and copyrighted works are often disregarded, students, teachers and peers are long-term trading and adapting new e-resources for their use.

Methodology

The study collected data from students in India through a survey using Google Forms from January 2022 to May 2022. It analysed it using SPSS software to identify behaviour patterns, trends and factors influencing actions and awareness regarding potential copyright issues during data sharing.

Findings

The study finds that many students in India engage in copyright infringement, either deliberately or unwittingly. Many students are unaware of copyright laws and regulations and do not understand the consequences of their actions.

Research Implications

The study’s findings are limited to students in Tamil Nadu, India, and may not represent students in other countries or regions. The findings can inform policies and educational programmes that promote ethical and legal behaviour among students and help reduce the incidence of copyright infringement.

Originality

This study’s originality and value stem from its unique approach of merging information sharing, seeking and copyright concepts.

Published in: Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication

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