Through 498 Internet domains, Cima4U had attracted more than 30 million combined monthly visits from 11.6 million unique visitors. The illegal service based in Giza, Egypt, offered a VOD library of more than 165,000 movie and TV series titles in Arabic and original versions.
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) declared it to be a major victory against content piracy in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region. Two of the leading broadcast companies in the MENA region, MBC GROUP and OSN, celebrated the shutdown. The illegal traffic traffic to Cima4U originated primarily from Morocco, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, major media markets for both companies.
Further reading
ACE deals significant blow to Middle East-North Africa piracy landscape with latest shutdown in region. Press release. January 25, 2024. Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE)
Why it matters
“Combating piracy is vital for the entertainment industry as it safeguards creative content, fosters innovation, and ensures fair compensation for artists, creating a sustainable ecosystem,” said Natasha Matos-Hemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer VOD at MBC GROUP.
Fiona Robertson, General Counsel at OSN, said, “OSN continues to be committed to fighting TV content piracy in the region through technical disruptions, on-ground support, and in-market enforcement actions. Collaboration with ACE and other members in the industry (helps) create awareness within our user communities.”
