Blog Post
AAPA’S SHEILA CASSELLS ON COUNTERFEIT DEVICES AND LIVE EVENT PIRACY
David Davies
4 September 2023
This article first appeared on the IBC Website here.
Prior to joining the Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) in 2011, Sheila Cassells was a member of Sky’s top 100 leadership team and the senior executive responsible for a broad range of EU policy matters, including technology spectrum, copyright, content, piracy, the environment, taxation and employment.
As she revealed in this interview, Cassells plans to step down from her role as AAPA Executive Vice-President at the end of this year. But before that, she shared her views on the most significant current piracy challenges to content creators, the AAPA’s ongoing cooperation with organisations including Europol and INTERPOL, and the notable omissions in the EU’s recent Digital Services Act.
How would you characterise the current severity of audio-visual piracy worldwide, and could the problem be said to have become markedly worse during the past few years?
Piracy continues to cause considerable harm to the audiovisual sector, despite its efforts and investments in anti-piracy activities and technologies. Over the past few years – and in the lockdown in particular – AAPA members did see spikes in piracy as new actors exploited changed behaviour with people working from home and diversion of law enforcement resources to other priorities such as the influx of counterfeit PPE. While the pandemic spikes have reduced, piracy remains a significant challenge and industry players – and associated stakeholders such as IBC, social media companies, hosting providers, etc – must remain very vigilant.
Could you give us a sense of the scale of piracy in 2023, and highlight any countries or territories where the problem is accelerating most rapidly?
A recent Park Associates report
suggests that the cumulative loss from piracy for US streaming providers serving US consumers will be $113 billion in 2027, with a further $700million being lost to fraudulent advertising in that year. Closer to home, a study undertaken for AAPA by Bournemouth University estimated that legitimate IPTV providers lost €3.21 billion to pirates in 2021, with the pirates earning €1.06 billion. Some 17m European citizens used illicit IPTV services in that year. To put this into context the population of The Netherlands is 17.53 million - which is not to say that The Netherlands is the home of piracy.
What are the types of audio-visual piracy that are most commonplace at present, and has the changed much in recent times?
Illicit streaming (IPTV) is still by a considerable margin the most common form of piracy. Over the last few years, we have seen growth in the number and diversity of apps providing unauthorised access to audiovisual content. The use of apps is more common amongst young people who tend to use mobile devices to watch content. The EUIPO Observatory’s IP Perception Report 2023
revealed that 14% of all EU citizens had intentionally accessed pirated content (including music, books, etc) in the past year, with that figure more than doubling to 33% for young people aged 15 to 24.
How concerned should media & entertainment companies be about the role of some devices – such as ISDs, Firesticks and Android apps – as facilitators of piracy? And what would the AAPA like to see happen to address this?
Media and entertainment companies need to be very concerned about any technological development which can be used to access pirated content. At a basic level – and common to all the technical devices mentioned - AAPA would like to see the production, marketing and distribution of any device which can be used to infringe IP made illegal. There is a precedent for this in the EU in the so-called Conditional Access Directive. It is encouraging also to see e-commerce platforms such as Amazon taking action against counterfeit firesticks. However, the sector faces a particular challenge in pursuing action with many of these devices being made in China, and taking action there is not easy.
The AAPA has been cooperating with Europol, Eurojust and INTERPOL on the problem of AV piracy. What can you tell us about these collaborations?
Over the years AAPA has delivered a number of training programmes for law enforcement officers at the request of these international agencies. This started with the production of two e-training modules for the IIPCIC platform run by INTERPOL. These modules are available in six languages. Later this year we will deliver face-to-face training in Sofia under the auspices of EMPACT. This follows on from a successful event last year. We have also provided on-the-ground expert support for operations being co-ordinated by Europol and Eurojust. In relation to INTERPOL, we are very pleased to be a member of its Stop Online Piracy Digital Advisory Group.
The new EU Digital Services Act (DSA) was published in October 2022 and gives affected service providers until 1 January 2024 to comply with its provisions. What is the AAPA view on the act with regard to its anti-piracy measures, and in particular its failure to include a Know Your Business Customer (KYBC) requirement?
AAPA is disappointed that the DSA failed to deliver on many fronts. That includes the missed opportunity to adopt a KYBC requirement which would have required hosting providers, e-commerce platforms, apps stores, etc, to carry out due diligence on their potential customers. We are very aware from our conversations with these stakeholders that they often take no steps to screen out customers who facilitate piracy.
A major disappointment is the failure to legislate against live event piracy. This is a very real and current problem which is costing the sports industry, amongst others, substantial damage. Despite this – and the calls of 110 MEPs for legislation – we have a non-binding Recommendation, the impact of which will be monitored over three years before the need for legislation is accepted.
Can you outline any other significant recent developments for the AAPA?
AAPA continues to build upon its core strengths, which include the willingness of its members to share knowledge and expertise amongst themselves and with law enforcement and policy makers. Of course, the emphasis given to one or other topic can vary according to perceived and real needs.
I will step down at the end of this year following over 12 years at the helm. This provides an ideal opportunity for members and my successor to review AAPA’s strategy.
What is the significance of the IBC Show with regard to raising awareness around piracy issues?
IBC has an important role to play through the promotion of products which are “real” and through making customers aware that products which are not real can not only offer unauthorised access to many exhibitors’ legitimate content, but also convey the risk that their deployment can result in malware with the consequent identity theft, seizure of bank details, and so on. In this context AAPA is pleased that IBC organisers have screened out some well-known pirate device suppliers.
Finally, if there is one message you would like IBC visitors this year to take onboard regarding the piracy problem, what would it be?
If the offer is too good to be true it is probably not ‘real’.
Date, Brussels, Belgium The Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) is proud to announce the recipients of its annual awards, celebrating exceptional contributions by law enforcement agencies in combatting online piracy and protecting intellectual property in the audiovisual sector. This year’s honorees have demonstrated exemplary efforts in the investigation, enforcement, and dismantling of illegal content distribution networks that undermine the creative industries. The AAPA Annual Awards recognize agencies whose proactive strategies and collaborative actions have significantly advanced copyright enforcement online. These awards reflect the growing importance of international cooperation in addressing the evolving and sophisticated tactics used by piracy networks. Oliver Pribramsky, Co-President of AAPA , praised the recipients of the awards, saying: "We are honoured to recognise the outstanding work of these administrative and law enforcement agencies. Online piracy remains one of the most significant challenges facing the audiovisual industry, costing billions in lost revenue each year and threatening jobs across the sector. The dedication and innovation displayed by our award winners not only protect the industry but also reinforce the critical role that law enforcement plays in safeguarding intellectual property in the digital age." Award Recipients This year’s AAPA Awards for Excellence in Copyright Enforcement are presented to: 1. Lifetime achievement Award for Sheila Cassells: On behalf of all AAPA members and stakeholders from all spectrums of the industry, we would like to thank Sheila for her loyalty and friendship over the last 14 years where she transformed AAPA into the organisation it is today and honour her remarkable achievements and lifelong dedication to the fight against audiovisual piracy with this Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) has supported the Catania Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Croatian State Attorney Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime and law enforcement agencies in Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Croatia and England in dismantling the world’s largest transnational criminal organisation alleged to be serving pirated audiovisual content to over 22 million users, and generating over 250 million euros in illegal revenue per month. The operation, conducted yesterday, was coordinated by Europol and Eurojust and involved over 270 officers from the Polizia Postale carrying out 89 property searches in 15 Italian regions. An additional 14 searches were conducted by law enforcement agencies abroad, including five addresses in England, and further searches and seizures in the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, France, Bulgaria, Germany and Croatia. 11 people were arrested by the Cybercrime Division of the Croatian Police. During yesterday's searches, cryptocurrencies in excess of EUR 1,650,000 and cash in excess of EUR 40,000 were seized as alleged proceeds of the offences committed. These immediately seized proceeds represent only a fraction of an illegal business that is alleged to yield approximately EUR 3 billion per annum. Digital piracy harms the entertainment and creative industries across the continent and is often run by sophisticated criminal networks that may use their profits to fund other serious forms of criminal activity. At the same time, illegal streams can expose the end user to the risks of data theft, fraud and malware. Mark Mulready, Co-president of AAPA, said: “We applaud the efforts of the Catania Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Croatian State Attorney Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime, Europol, Eurojust, and all of the law enforcement agencies involved in these operations. The scale of these multi-jurisdictional law enforcement actions highlights the considerable challenge our industry faces when dealing with such sophisticated international pirate networks. We are proud to have collaborated with our law enforcement partners to provide technical training and in-field support to assist them in successfully tackling the world’s largest pirate network. We are very grateful to the AAPA members who supported this action day, including Premier League, Sky Group, Nagravision, Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), beIN Sports, United Media, Friend MTS and Irdeto. We will continue to closely collaborate with law enforcement agencies in Europe and beyond to enable them to successfully identify, investigate and prosecute large-scale cross-border pirate networks.” ---------- AAPA contact: Mark Mulready +31651246415 Co-President AAPA Miranda Rock +44 7957 391 498 Rocket Launch for AAPA
The Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) publishes its first Manifesto, linked here . The document aims to recognise past efforts of EU legislators when it comes to content protection and the fight against copyright infringement, whilst admitting that more can and should be done to address this growing issue. Miruna Herovanu, Executive Director of AAPA said : " After years of laying the groundwork to combat online piracy it’s time for EU policymakers and beyond to fully acknowledge that decisive, targeted measures are needed at the European level. The rise of digital theft demands action. We call for strong political resolve to end the theft of our members' content. We're ready to support every stakeholder—law enforcement, policymakers, and industry representatives—to dismantle criminal networks and protect European consumers from harm."
The Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) has announced the appointment of Miruna Herovanu as its Executive Director. Miruna was previously the Director at the Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand in Europe in charge of Intellectual Property and Competition policies. She took up her position with AAPA on 27 May 2024 and will be based in Brussels. Miruna will replace Sheila Cassells who is retiring as Executive Vice President of AAPA and will report on a day-to-day basis to the two Co-Presidents, Mark Mulready, VP of Cyber Services at Irdeto and Oliver Pribramksy, Head of IP Protection and Committees at the Deutsche Fussball Liga. She will be responsible for the implementation of the strategy agreed by AAPA members, managing relationships with law enforcement agencies such as Europol, Eurojust, INTERPOL and the European Institutions, delivery of AAPA’s Working Group goals and general management of the Alliance. Mark Mulready said that: “We are delighted to appoint someone of Miruna’s calibre and experience to become the Executive Director of AAPA. Miruna’s commitment to copyright protection is well-known. Her knowledge of the Brussels institutions and the EUIPO will stand AAPA in good stead for future policy developments. A priority will be for Miruna to work closely with AAPA members, the EUIPO and the European Institutions to deliver on, inter alia, the goals of combatting online piracy of sports and other live events recommendation.” Miruna Herovanu commented that: “My professional experience demonstrated that piracy is an ever-growing issue that eats at the heart of Europe’s most important industries. This is a golden opportunity and a new professional challenge that will help further develop my passion for and commitment to protecting copyright. Being able to work with and support industry experts and practitioners in AAPA, law enforcement, the European Institutions and other trade associations is essential to the fight against piracy. I am excited to be taking on this role.”
Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance member, NOS , marks World IP Day with a powerful campaign to eliminate piracy. Spread the message!
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