Digital Content Piracy Is Rapidly On the Rise

Digital content piracy is rapidly on the rise according to reports. In 2022, TV and film piracy increased in contrast to the previous year according to a research company.

Digital Content Piracy Is Rapidly On the Rise

Digital Content Piracy Is Rapidly On the Rise

Digital piracy is now on the rise and it is not expected to slow down any time soon as per a report from piracy-focused firm MUSO that was published in early February in Variety.

Pirating films in 2022 increased by about 39% when compared to 2021 while visits to piracy websites to watch and stream shows spiked by about 9%, the report claimed. The rise of piracy is however expected to continue all through 2023.

“This trend continues to be a major issue for the industry, significantly impacting the revenues and livelihoods of all involved — particularly smaller, independent creators — and damaging the wider economy,” the report stated.

The US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center in 2019 reported that piracy costs the US film and TV industry between $29 billion and $71 billion every year.

The Factors Leading To the Rise of Piracy

MUSO however attributes the reported rise in piracy to a couple of factors and this is including economic pressures. Many streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney Plus in 2022 increased their prices. Streaming platform Netflix also announced that it would begin cracking down on password sharing after it reported losing close to 1 million subscribers in the second quarter.

A 2019 Study by Vocus Group NZ in Regards To Piracy

A study in 2019 by Vocus Group NZ based in New Zealand, found out that making content cheaper and easier to access helps to stop piracy, and not new laws and regulations.

“These two options were by far ahead of other options, at 57 and 48 percent respectively,” consumer general manager at Vocus Group NZ, Taryn Hamilton said. “Punitive measures, such as prosecution for pirates and censorship of pirate sites, were only thought likely to be effective by 33 and 22 percent of people, respectively.”

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