Substitute Media Choice of Film and Television Users Under Cloud Storage Controls: Impacts of the Sword Net Campaign
Main Article Content
Keywords
copyright policy, cloud storage users, alternative media, film and television consumption, uses and gratifications
Abstract
The Sword Net Action has restricted cloud-based film resources, which interrupted user access and pushed many users toward other ways of getting media. This study examines how cloud users substituted media access under policy pressure, focusing on their motives, perceptions, behavioral paths, and satisfaction, while also pointing out weaknesses in the legitimate ecosystem. A mixed-method design (interviews and surveys) was used. The results show that cloud storage attracted users because of its low cost, practical functions, scarce content, and user community. Under these restrictions, users generally followed three paths: turning to new piracy channels, using legal platforms for a limited time, or watching less overall. The data also indicates that none of these alternatives performed better than cloud storage from the users' point of view. This study adds to uses and gratifications theory and media substitution theory by examining substitution behavior in a specific policy context. It also provides a user-centered reference for copyright governance.
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