Online piracy remains a significant challenge. This is according to a recent study by MUSO, an anti-piracy analysis company based in the United Kingdom, and the consultancy Kearney. The survey reveals that the number of visits to piracy websites reached the mark of 141 billion in 2023, corresponding to an estimated 386 million daily visits. This number represents a 12% increase since 2019, highlighting the growing attractiveness of the platforms.
The practice has existed practically since the beginning of the internet, and as digital adoption has increased, so has the quantity and price of internet services. streaming video and audio, the use of piracy platforms has also increased. The analysis shows that the United States and India lead in terms of piracy volume, while Europe and the Asia-Pacific region have an incidence per capita taller. In Asia, there was an average of 34 visits to piracy sites in 2023 for each person, compared to 26 piracy visits per year in North America.
“The global rise in video content piracy is worrying. However, with a slight adjustment in perspective, it also becomes an opportunity for media companies, who can change their approach to marketing to pirate users and block lost revenue,” says Christophe Firth of Kearney.
Andy Chatterley, founder and CEO of MUSO, highlights that piracy is becoming normal, especially among the next billion internet users. The analysis shows that film piracy in India grew by 80% between 2022 and 2023. Anime content stands out as one of the main global focuses, representing 25% of pirated content worldwide in the last year.
Subscription fatigue, where users sign up for multiple platforms to access their favorite programs, many of which are spread across multiple providers, has long been a concern for everyday users. And the services’ growing hostility toward users, including restrictions on sharing passwords, introducing more advertisements, and limiting the number of devices capable of watching simultaneously, as well as rising prices, means that piracy services often offer an unreliable experience. easier viewing, says Chatterley.
The CEO suggests that information about piracy habits can be used by security services streaming to adapt business strategies, but this requires a shift in mindset to better understand the reasons behind piracy, rather than simply criminalizing it. He highlights that the audience for pirated content is often more committed than subscribers to legitimate services.
“You can probably make a direct correlation between streaming and subscriber numbers, and increases in piracy and the cost of living, and people generally purchasing subscriptions,” highlights Chatterley.
The study indicates that if the industry can recover a fraction of the revenue lost to piracy, it could boost the video on demand market by 4%, equivalent to US$24 billion. This highlights the financial potential and the need to offer more attractive alternatives for those who turn to piracy sites.
“They are not pirates. Pirates would be people who make content available illegally. Oftentimes, the audience isn’t doing it for financial gain, they’re doing it because they want to watch something,” she concludes.
* With information from Fast Company
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