Blog Post

ADVICE FROM INTERPOL ON ILLEGAL STREAMING

AAPA

26th April 2019

You see an offer: more than 6,500 channels sourced from most major pay TV operators in the world, plus a library of 2,000 movies for less than 100 dollars or euros per year - what's not to like? And the payment methods look legitimate too - it must be ok!

Pirate operator sites offer access to audiovisual content which has been stolen from a pay TV operator. This can be accessed via illicit devices or apps. Legal devices such as smart TVs and tablets may also carry illicit apps.

Buying your content from these sites deprives the creative industries, pay TV companies and tax authorities of revenues to which they are legitimately entitled. Their losses run into billions of euros.

No guarantee you'll get your money's worth

The advertised payment methods are often not what they seem, with your money being diverted to pirates' bank accounts using sophisticated money laundering techniques. Do you really want them to have your credit card details?

You could find that you suddenly stop receiving the service. Pay TV companies, rights holders and their technology providers devote substantial resources to disrupting pirate services. And anti-piracy associations work with payment providers to interrupt the flow of money to the pirates. When they shut down the pirate services, you have no movies or sport and no way of getting your money back.

Cyber-security risks

Research has shown that pirate sites may also contain malware that could infect your computer. Or your personal details may be hijacked and shared with other criminals, leading to fraud or personal identity theft - an expensive price to pay for your "bargain".

How to spot a pirate site

How do you identify a pirate service? Be wary of any site offering a huge number of global channels for a bargain price.

TV companies offer only their own packages in the territories for which they have rights. So go to the pay TV company's website and see what you can buy legitimately.

Check the prices as well - legitimate pay TV will usually be more expensive than a pirate service, but you receive a quality, reliable service with good customer service to support you if you have problems.

Links to other serious crimes

You may wonder, what's the harm in this? No one gets hurt. But the criminals behind these pirate sites can be part of organized crime groups who use the proceeds to fund serious crimes, and who engage in fraud and money laundering.

So by watching that cheap movie or bargain box set, you could be contributing to a range of crimes you could not imagine.

Help fight piracy by buying the legal option. Don't contribute to organized crime.

The original version of this article can be found ont the INTERPOL website here.

< Older Post Newer Post >

Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance 2024-2029 EU Manifesto

by AAPA • 1 October 2024

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."

AAPA ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

by AAPA • 28 May 2024

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.”