A UK study found that illegal streaming exposes users to scams, identity theft, malware and potentially organised crime; 37% of active users surveyed had encountered harmful or unsafe content. Researchers estimate fraud and theft cost UK viewers about £270 million annually.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s cable operators and audiovisual rights groups are seeking faster, clearer procedures for removing online ads promoting illegal IPTV services. The participating platforms and a timetable for the proposed measures were not identified.
Illegal streaming costs UK broadcasters an estimated £1.35 billion annually, including losses from sports, film and television. The study estimates these losses equate to 10,400 jobs and £366 million in forgone tax revenue, potentially limiting investment in production and sport.
A WPI Economics study found that 31% of UK adults accessed illegal streams in the previous three months, rising to 51% among 18–24-year-olds. Films and TV are more commonly pirated than live sports, and social media is the most common access route.
At the US Chamber of Commerce’s recent Digital Piracy Symposium, leaders agreed that digital piracy has evolved into a broader threat to consumers, businesses, and national security. Writing on the Chamber’s website, Jaci McDole, Executive Director, Copyright and Creativity, Global Innovation Policy Center, at the Chamber, notes that digital piracy has long been treated as a copyright […]
UK anti-piracy organisation FACT says enforcement activity over the summer has resulted in prison sentences, arrests and financial penalties against operators and users of illegal streaming services.
Omdia's study emphasizes the need for a shift from reactive to preventive anti-piracy measures in the streaming era, highlighting the limitations of traditional methods and advocating for multi-DRM, forensic watermarking, and application security to enhance content protection.
CANAL+ and LALIGA have signed a strategic anti-piracy agreement covering almost 50 countries across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti, expanding their long-standing commercial relationship into a coordinated effort to combat illegal sports streaming. The agreement will see the broadcaster and the Spanish football league share intelligence, coordinate enforcement strategies and combine technology and operational expertise to tackle […]
The Omdia study Next-Generation Anti-Piracy for TV and Video: Why the streaming era demands a shift from reaction to prevention therefore warns that piracy can no longer be viewed solely as a technical or legal issue.
Despite the increase in legal streaming services, piracy remains prevalent, with over 21% of online adults using unauthorized sources, particularly among engaged viewers like sports fans. The study highlights that convenience and ease of access are significant factors driving this trend.
Irdeto and blockchain data specialist Chainalysis are strengthening their partnership to tackle digital piracy and cryptocurrency-enabled cybercrime. The companies are combining blockchain intelligence, payment disruption and international law enforcement coordination to target pirate IPTV, streaming and gaming operations. Irdeto says its Cyber Services team can use Chainalysis Reactor to trace cryptocurrency transactions, identify exchange cash-out […]
Illegal streaming is costing the UK economy at least £1.35 billion a year and is linked to the loss of more than 10,000 jobs, according to a report commissioned by anti-piracy initiative BeStreamWise. The Price of Piracy, produced by WPI Economics, estimates that piracy across sport, film and television results in 10,400 fewer jobs across the economy. […]
