Piracy and Illegal Streaming Remain a Concern
Despite efforts to combat piracy, the issue persists, as highlighted by a recent US government analysis. The report identifies the world’s largest illegally operating streaming providers and notes an increase in the use of illegal offers.
The Biggest Piracy Sites
The list of the biggest piracy sites in 2024 includes well-known names, such as The Pirate Bay, which has been active since 2003 and has been shut down several times, only to reappear. Other long-standing sites are also represented on the list.
The persistence of these sites can be attributed to the difficulty in tracing and disrupting their networks. While domains can be shut down, the websites often reappear, especially when operating internationally with multiple accomplices.
Some piracy websites can be traced back to their country of origin, including large nations like Russia and China, as well as smaller European countries like France. The complete list of sites can be found here.
Progress in Combating Piracy
Despite the challenges, the US report notes positive developments in the fight against piracy. Authorities were able to take down several large operations, including an illegal streaming network based in Vietnam that was one of the largest providers.
In November, Europol reported on a large-scale operation against a piracy network with over 100 domains and 22 million users, offering not only cinema films but also illegally offered content from Sky, DAZN, Netflix, and more.
Trend Towards Illegal Sports Streams
While classic piracy topics focused on film and series streams, the current trend is towards piracy of TV channels and live sports broadcasts. This shift is likely due to the increasing number of providers and rising prices for individual services.
The number of accesses to such content increased by 40% from 2021 to 2023, with demand for illegal sports streams also rising in Germany. Additionally, content from Netflix, Disney+, and other popular streaming services is becoming increasingly popular among pirates.