Video Piracy Seen as Growing Problem; Industry Response Varies

Video piracy is worsening, with viewers often not aware they're watching pirated content, and some parts of the streaming ecosystem aren't focusing on the problem, experts said Tuesday at a video piracy symposium. Piracy was already a concern when the COVID-19 pandemic set in, resulting in more video consumption and increased piracy, said Steven Hawley, Piracy Monitor managing director.

The explosion of the streaming economy is also driving piracy because there's a proliferation of content and of streaming services to filch, said Content Delivery and Security Association President Guy Finley.

Pirates "use pretty much the same tools we are," hosting via content delivery networks and offering an array of apps, said Lee Kent, beIn Media Group content protection manager. That makes the pirate experience so professional it can be hard for a user to discriminate between what's legitimate and what isn't, said Diane Hamer, BBC Studios head-business and legal affairs, brand protection.

Pirates operate internationally, but legal tools are broadly confined to national boundaries, making it tough to litigate when it's so easy to move the pirate service, Hamer said. A lot of piracy is the work of organized crime, and it often gets little attention from law enforcement, she said.

Industry attention seems mixed. Kristina Milbourn, Rogers Communications director-copyright and broadband, said media companies increasingly are dedicating resources to fighting piracy, after years of relying on trade associations that had it as one of their many focuses. In the over-the-top space, the focus is on adding subscribers, and piracy for many platforms hasn't been a concern, said Friend MTS Executive Vice President-Americas John Ward. He said at some point subscriber adds will level off, the industry will see consolidation and platforms will start to look more at subscriber retention and where their subs have been going and, as part of that, content protection.

Hamer said the BBC often finds out about piracy when licensees and colleagues around the world bring it to the network's attention. Chris Odgers, former WarnerMedia vice president-technology, said the content company contracts with an outside vendor who constantly looks for stolen content. Kent said beIn combs social media, particularly piracy online chats.

Ad-supported pirate sites can't be eliminated, but it's more achievable to remove ads from household brands on private sites, said White Bullet Solutions CEO Peter Szyszko. He said apps are increasingly popular with pirates, and premium brands are frequently found there. With their rich content and lots of eyeballs, pirate sites are often magnets for programmatic ad purchases done via software. Nick Stringer, Trustworthy Accountability Group vice president-global engagement and operations, said programmatic ad buys are a challenge but also can help through better targeting that allows for filtering out advertising on pirate sites.