Streaming, Sharing, StealingÂ
The 2016 MIT Press book on how digital platforms are rewriting the economics of the entertainment industry. Co-authored with Michael D. Smith.
Rahul TelangÂ
Trustees Professor of Information Systems and PhD Program Chair at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College.
Streaming, Sharing, StealingÂ
The 2016 MIT Press book on how digital platforms are rewriting the economics of the entertainment industry. Co-authored with Michael D. Smith.
Academic Researcher, Author, and Corporate Advisor on Digital Disruption
Rahul Telang is the Trustees Professor of Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College and Co-Director of the IDEA Center. For over two decades, he has quantified the hard economics of digital disruption, analyzing exactly how streaming platforms, digital piracy, and shifting copyright policies impact corporate revenue.
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An award-winning researcher whose work is regularly featured in top scientific journals, Telang provides empirical data to the media and technology industries. He advises organizations including Disney and Warner Bros. on streaming pricing and platform strategy, and contributes directly to national policy frameworks, such as the US Copyright Office’s report on AI and copyright. He is the co-author of Streaming, Sharing, Stealing: Big Data and the Future of Entertainment (MIT Press).
Core Areas of Investigation
Digital Media & Streaming
Analyzing how streaming platforms, digital piracy, and shifting distribution channels fundamentally alter the entertainment business. This work is grounded in the foundational economic research behind the MIT Press bestseller, Streaming, Sharing, Stealing.
Copyright & IP Policy
Defining the exact intersection where traditional copyright law meets modern digital reality. This expertise includes providing empirical data and direct contributions to the US Copyright Office's 2024 report on AI and copyright.
Security & Privacy Economics
Examining the underlying economic incentives that drive both corporate and hacker behavior. This research analyzes bug bounties, vulnerability disclosures, and privacy labels, supported by funding from the NSF and CyLab.
Writing, research, and commentary
A curated selection of foundational research across streaming, copyright policy, and the economics of cybersecurity. Full list available on the publications page.