If you’re anything like me, in the past year video streaming services have taken on a far greater significance than prior to the pandemic. Consumers are devouring everything Netflix, Hulu, Discovery+, Disney+, and more have to offer to help cope with spending so much time at home.

But what happens if access to these services is restricted, whether by cost or other reasons? Especially as more options become available, each with its own subscription fee? At what point does piracy become the better option?

To help me explore this topic, I am pleased to introduce Shijie Lu with the University of Houston, whose study, “The Effect of Over-the-Top Media Services on Piracy Search: Evidence from a Natural Experiment,” will be published in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science.