A fierce fight is playing out between rights holders and pirate actors such as illegal streaming sites and IPTVs. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), an organization very little known to the general public, is indeed trying to have their websites shut down en masse in the context of legal proceedings.
More than 600 sites closed in 5 years
This coalition brings together a large number of companies ranging from film studios to streaming platforms, including major television groups, which are committed to fighting digital piracy. Among them, we find giants such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney, or even Canal+ in France.
According to figures revealed by TorrentFreak In the month of December 2022 alone, ACE succeeded in shutting down or taking control of 40 to more than 50 domains of sites broadcasting pirate content, or offering IPTV services.
But it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what has been going on for several years. Our colleagues estimate that more than 600 domains distributing pirated content have disappeared since 2017, following the determined action of this coalition of companies.
Quietly, this collective is therefore taking firm and methodical legal action to put these sites out of harm’s way to its interests. The movement does not seem ready to stop and if the rhythm continues, hundreds of other sites could pay the price in 2023.
The noose is tightening on IPTV in France
As far as France is concerned, ARCOM is also determined to fight against illegal streaming. To cite just one example, the administrative authority had informed us that the blocking of sites had led to a 76% drop in the piracy of the French Football Champions League last April in France.
The noose is also tightening against IPTV with much faster blocking than in the past from some providers. However, nothing is won yet and many French people have gotten into the habit of consuming pirated audiovisual content.
As budgets get tighter and tighter, the temptation is great to resort to these illegal streaming services. Especially since the proliferation of platforms also tends to encourage this type of behavior. We also know that hackers often show ingenuity to counter the repression that falls on them, and the game of cat and mouse should therefore still continue in the years to come.
