웹툰 유료 이용자의 불법 웹툰 이용 예방책 연구: 메시지 프레이밍과 인지된 위험, 불법 웹툰 태도, 합법적 웹툰 이용의도를 중심으로

As real-time content consumption via platforms has become more prevalent, the damage caused by the illegal distribution of digital content has become increasingly severe. As of 2024, the financial loss to the webtoon industry due to illegal wbtoons is reported to be 721.5billion KRW, which is 40% of the legal webtoon market. In response, government agencies and industry stakeholders have implemented various measures, such as penalizing distributors and running awareness campaigns. However, these measures have proven insufficient, and even paying users are increasingly turning to illegal webtoons, highlighting the need for more effective strategies. This study aims to develop preventative measures against the illegal use of webtoons by examining the impact of message framing and perceived risk factors associated with illegal webtoons on users’ perceptions and legal consumption behaviors. The findings indicate that gain framing was more effective than loss framing in increasing social and psychological risks associated with illegal webtoons. Although loss framing had a higher impact on perceived privacy risks, this effect was not statistically significant. Additionally, individuals who perceived higher social and psychological risks were more likely to have a negative perception of illegal webtoons, and those with negative attitudes towards illegal webtoons were more inclined to consume webtoons legally. This study is significant as it identifies effective message framing strategies to curb the use of illegal webtoons. The application of these strategies is expected to prevent paying webtoon users from switching to illegal alternatives.