The Asia Video Industry Association’s Pulse newsletter reported piracy challenges and anti-piracy successes in Southeast Asia as year-end approached. In addition to reporting about its November ‘The State of Piracy Summit,’ which gathered nearly 300 attendees from the region, this issue of Pulse provides a status report about the various anti-piracy initiatives being spearheaded by AVIA’s Coalition Against Piracy (CAP).
With AVIA support and encouragement, Indonesia and Malaysia have enacted rolling site-blocking legislation that, since 2019, has reduced piracy by 76% and 60% respectively. Singapore and the Philippines have both made changes to copyright law. AVIA is also acting as an advisor to government officials in Vietnam and India as those countries formulate new regulations.
Working with INTERPOL
As a result of AVIA outreach on behalf of an effort being funded by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Culture Sport and Tourism, INTERPOL has invited AVIA CAP to participate in a multi-agency advisory group to develop an infringing site reporting resource to be made available to national governments.
Piracy reporting tools for AVIA CAP members
AVIA detailed its CAP Browser Plug-in, designed to help members identify and report infringing Web sites for blocking; so far, in Malaysia and Indonesia. According to the Pulse article, the plug-in performs an analysis of a targeted site and produces a preliminary investigative report that includes a listing of sources of suspected infringing video streams.
Quantifying the financial impact of piracy
Over time, AVIA CAP has built a comprehensive piracy data-set on behalf of its members, based on its experience in blocking infringing Web sites; as well as a body of consumer behavior research. AVIA CAP is currently working with Pricewaterhouse Coopers and YouGov to build a framework through which they can quantify the losses to piracy, by using this data.
Out of the 2022 gate, running
In early 2022, AVIA CAP expects to introduce an annual Industry Losses to Piracy report that encapsulates its research efforts. AVIA CAP will be conducting its Piracy Over The Top Summit on March 29, 2022.
Read AVIA Pulse, December 2021 issue
Access past issues of AVIA Pulse (Under ‘Newsletter’)
Why it matters
AVIA CAP’s good work comes at a time when the number of subscription video viewers is expected to exceed 1 billion users in APAC.
One of AVIA‘s strengths has been to work with national governments and legislatures on behalf of media industry stakeholders in countries of Southeast Asia to enact site blocking laws and make changes to copyright law in recognition of illicit streaming devices and pirate apps.
Industry associations with a focus on piracy and anti-piracy have become well established in all regions around the world. Some, like IBCAP in the United States, support video programmers and operators by gathering evidence and supporting lawsuits against pirates. Others, like FAPAV in Italy and FACT in the UK, work with police and law enforcement organizations to arrest pirates and sieze their assets.
