Piracy Report

1. Minecraft 

Video games are the most pirated pieces of media content, with searches often exceeding 58,000 per month. The most pirated game is Minecraft, with 58,010 monthly searches for pirated versions.

The game lets players mine for minerals, build shelters, and fight off monsters that come at night. It has remained a widely popular game since its release in 2011, resulting in the continuous high search volume for pirated versions of this game.

2. Roblox 

Roblox is a free game across various devices, where users can create anything and share it with the world. Whilst the game is free for players to download, it does come with in-game transactions to enhance player experience, which could explain why its in such high demand for pirated versions with 21,190 monthly searches.

3. Grand Theft Auto 

GTA also makes the top 3 of most pirated games with 16,820 month searches for illegal copies of the game. Since the franchise first debuted in 1997, it has remained popular among gamers. The game follows three criminals as they commit daring and profitable heists across various U.S. cities.

The effects of piracy

Illegal downloading has lasting effects on studios and production companies that finance and distribute the content, as well as the workers who are employed by them. This is because far less money is made from piracy-prone content, which means they're less likely to invest in new and exciting projects.

Piracy can also hurt the quality of the content itself, as many pirated copies of newly released films are filmed on low quality cameras and illegally distributed. Studios and production companies are less likely to invest in high-quality projects if they know that they won't be able to recoup their investment through ticket sales or subscriptions.

Whilst illegal downloading might be a free alternative for some users, piracy can lead to job losses in the entertainment industry. Production companies are less likely to invest in new projects if they know that they won't be able to make as much money from them to pay the staff they employ.

And piracy can have a huge impact on the economy as a whole, due to the entertainment industry being a major contributor to GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and piracy takes away from the revenue that would otherwise be generated.

These are just some of the reasons why pirating is an illegal offence and can result in huge fines or even imprisonment. Many pirating websites can also result in viruses and hacking, which could endanger users’ tech. 

What are industries doing to prevent piracy?

The software industry has been working hard to combat piracy through the use of Digital Rights Management (DRM), making it harder for people to pirate software. Likewise, the video game industry has been implementing DRM technology, which makes it more difficult for people to pirate games.

The movie and TV industry has also been continuously working to prevent piracy, working with law enforcement to shut down illegal streaming sites and torrent sites. They've also been working on developing new technologies, such as watermarking and digitally preventing screen capturing technology, making it harder for people to pirate content.

Netflix, specifically, recently announced that it would be cracking down on users that shared their login information with other people outside of the account's household. The move came with massive backlash, causing some users to reconsider their subscriptions. At a time where over 200,000 subscribers had already left the platform due to issues such as the rising cost of living and the explosion of rival streaming services.  ​​With this in mind, the decision to crack down does show a firm stance in the company’s desire to reduce piracy.

How to protect yourself online 

Downloading pirated media can lead to a number of threats to your devices including unwanted ads, downloading malware or making your personal data vulnerable. There are few things you can do to protect yourself from the dangers of piracy.. Here are a few examples of how:

• Only download or stream content from official sources, such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, the iTunes Store and so on. If you're not sure if a site is legal, do some research to find out.

• If you're using a peer-to-peer (P2P) service, make sure the shared content is legal. Just because the service itself may be legal, that doesn't mean that all of the content being shared on it is.

• Be mindful of the content you're downloading or streaming. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Make sure that your computer has up-to-date security software, this will help to protect you from hacking, viruses and malware, which can be buried within pirated content.

• Be careful what you click on online. Many piracy sites use deceptive advertising to lure people in. Once you click on one of these ads, you may be taken to an illegitimate site that could infect your computer with malware.

• Educate yourself and others about piracy. The more people that are aware of the negative effects of piracy, the less likely it is to happen. Report piracy when you see it happening. By reporting illegal piracy activity, you can help limit piracy's impact and make the internet a safer place for everyone.

Nick Baker, Broadband expert at Uswitch says:

“With the increasing cost of living, some people may turn to illegal downloading as a means to access their favourite TV shows, films, games and software online. This could be cause for concern as online piracy not only has a negative impact on creators, but it can come with risks to your own safety and security.

“Using illegal piracy websites can put users at extreme risk of hacking and phishing scams which makes your personal data vulnerable. In addition to that, industries that are affected by illegal downloading closely monitor the internet and can take legal action against you if caught.

“While the temptation to pirate your favourite content is appealing, it’s worth asking yourself if it’s really worth putting yourself at risk of scams and legal action. 

“Ustream is our onsite tool that helps viewers plan out their viewing calendar and understand which streaming services they need in order to watch their favourite content and which ones they could cancel to save some money.”