When it comes to piracy, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) knows what it is talking about. This agency attached to the EU is in fact responsible for promoting the protection of intellectual property within member states. The organization has just published the report “Online copyright infringements in the European Union: films, music, publications, software and television, 2017-2023” which we were able to consult. Here’s what we take away.
Piracy stabilized, but an explosion of IPTV
The EUIPO first notes that online piracy observed among European Internet users remains stable compared to last year, with an average of 10 monthly accesses. But these figures mask another trend which greatly worries rights holders: the rise of illegal IPTV.
The study is very clear on this subject and notes a 10% increase in visits to websites dedicated to subscribing to IPTV services in 2023. In detail, up to 1% of EU Internet users would have joined one of these illegal offers in the space of just two years, without counting all the users who had already subscribed before 2022. This data also applies to France, and according to other recent studies, between 4 to 5% of Internet users have integrated these services.
The causes of piracy
The EUIPO report also looks at the origins of online piracy. Two main facts emerge. The presence of strong income inequalities and a younger than average population boosts these illegal activities. Conversely, higher GDP per capita and increased public awareness help reduce piracy.
A little more surprisingly, the study indicates that the presence of more legal platforms helps reduce piracy. We would rather have spontaneously thought that this splitting of the offer generated temptations to cheat.
How to reduce piracy?
This report, which is definitely very rich, also offers some solutions to reduce the use of illegal sites. In this regard, the EUIPO recommends strengthening the legal offer. This is not directly stated in the report, but the latter in any case notes that the financial argument plays a major role in the decision to pirate.
The implementation of coercive actions is also promoted and we have seen recently that repression is increasingly falling on networks which distribute illegally protected works. Finally, educational campaigns could also help reduce this phenomenon.
João Negrão, executive director of the EUIPO, concludes:
Our study reveals the complex dynamics of digital consumption and the factors favoring piracy. It is imperative to address the root causes of this type of behavior, which are often linked to a lack of access to affordable legal content and the need to increase public awareness of the consequences of piracy.
Are you surprised by the results of this study, and do you share its findings? Tell us in the comments.
