New research from Hollywood lobbyists the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) claims that nearly a quarter of the world's internet users have illegally downloaded a film at one time or another.
The unexpectedly high figure finds some explanation in the study's methodology: only broadband users were polled. Broadband penetration stands at only 43% even in the US, so the real figures - even assuming they are fair and accurate - would be under half the MPAA's.
Calling piracy a "growing global epidemic", the MPAA study says the figure rises to 58% in South Korea, and that roughly one third of offenders there said they were spending less money on legitimate viewing channels like cinemas and video.
The MPAA, a group representing the big Hollywood studios, is entrenched in a long campaign against global piracy, which it claims costs its backers around $3.5bn in lost revenues each year.
This latest salvo shows the organisation's determination to assess the threat to global business.
A spokesperson said the study demonstrated a connection between significant piracy levels in certain markets and a corresponding drop in legitimate film revenues.
Perhaps most alarming of all, the study says 17% of respondents who said they had never illegally downloaded a film also said they planned to do so within the next 12 months.
While Asia, Latin America and eastern Europe have all been hit hard by copyright breaches, much of the problem stems from illegal recording of preview and theatrical screenings in the US.
Last week a teenager in California was caught attempting to record Spider-Man 2 on a camcorder on its first day of release. American cinema staff whose actions lead to the arrest of pirates are now eligible for a $500 reward.