digital content piracy come back tabAfter several years when the proliferation of streaming platforms and legal downloads seemed to put a stop to the scourge. threat to the culture and entertainment industry. According to a study published Monday European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)number of accesses to illegal content increased by 3.3% Last year, especially due to the increase in illegal links to sports broadcasts.
It is clear from this report Online Copyright Infringement in the European Union, Movies, Music, Broadcasts, Software and TV, 2017-2022 (Infringement of online copyrights in film, music, broadcasting, software and television in the European Union, 2017-2022) Operated by Euroagency, based in Alicante. A job that measures this phenomenon by the number of monthly accesses Illegal content per internet user.
Study, trend change From last year to growth television piracy, represent Almost half (48%) of total access to infringing sites In the EU in 2022. Streams represented 28% of illegal downloads; movies, 11%; software, 7%; and music, another 6%.
This practice increased by 15 percent on televisionThe most commonly pirated genres are television programs and series, as well as on-demand movies, anime productions (series and movies), live broadcasts of events and special sports channels.
‘Streaming’
In this context, EUIPO states: continuous broadcast or ‘streaming’ has become the most popular method of accessing illegal television content. 58% of the total, compared to the 32% represented by downloads.
The study also analyzes it for the first time. illegal access to live sports eventsOne of the contents with the highest increase in piracy increased by 30 percent in one year. In fact, the study warns in some countries, such as France and France: SpainThis type of content represents more than a third (34%) of total illegal access.
Additionally, there is some experience of hacking of live events. It reaches its peak in April and September and OctoberAs a possible reflection of the minimum values in June and July, as well as active periods and summer pauses Europe’s main football leagues.
Publications
As for the rest of the digital content, publications They represent the second most pirated content type at 28% overall. Additionally, in this case, there has been an increase in the volume of illegal accesses since January 2021. manga comic The main genre in this category is followed at a distance by audiobooks and e-books.
Although there was a serious decrease in the first months of the epidemic, movie piracyThere was a slight increase in 2021 and 2022. According to a previous study by EUIPO at the title level, the majority of pirated films are blockbusters. Hollywood.
hijacking softwareApplications such as games and apps for mobile devices also increased slowly but at a lower rate. Although there was an increase in all categories last year, piracy in music content decreased and remained at low levels.
ten times a month
On average, every EU internet user has accessed websites offering pirated content. ten times a month By the end of 2022. There are significant differences between Member States. countries with lHighest piracy rates in Estonia and LatviaThe lowest rates, with almost 25 accesses per user per month, are found in Germany, Italy and Poland, with around seven and a half accesses per user per month.
On behalf of the executive director of EUIPO, Christian Archambeau, “Copyright infringement in the digital age This remains a very serious problem and poses a direct threat to creative industries in Europe.with. This new study shows that there is still much to do in the fight against piracy. Stopping this phenomenon is complex as piracy is constantly evolving with technology. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanisms of piracy is important to adopt effective policies and measures that will contribute to reducing piracy.”
In this context, the European Commission will hold a meeting in May 2023. Advice on combating online piracy of sports and other events live, whose aim is to stop the unauthorized broadcast of the events in question. EUIPO is working with the European Commission and stakeholders to monitor the impact of the Recommendation.
The report notes that among the factors that may affect the consumption of pirated content in the EU, economic and social factors include: GDP per capita, income inequality or proportion of young people They can influence piracy within the population. Increased legal supply also contributes to reducing piracy music, cinema and television.
Source: Informacion

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