In 2023, global piracy saw an eye-opening 141 billion visits to illegal streaming sites, highlighting major shifts in digital content consumption. To better understand these trends, we analyze how piracy is changing in various regions. Canada is emerging as a major hotspot for piracy, while Brazil is experiencing a notable decline. Additionally, some areas are seeing significant increases in piracy activity.
Recent insights from MUSO and Kearney reveal a worldwide expansion in video piracy. While the full report was pending at the time of this writing, preliminary data sheds light on key trends.
Classifying Global Piracy Trends
The report features a comprehensive graph that categorizes countries based on their per capita visits to pirate sites and the changes from 2018 to 2023. This classification helps identify where piracy is most severe and where it’s shifting.
Countries are grouped into four categories:
- Hotspots: High and increasing visits to pirate sites per capita
- Recovering: High visits per capita but with a decreasing trend
- Emerging Threats: Low visits per capita but with rapid growth
- Positive Trends: Low visits per capita with a downward trend
In the visual representation, piracy hotspots are shown in the top right quadrant, while emerging threats are in the top left.
Comparing Canada and Brazil
Canada is identified as a prominent piracy hotspot, with a high number of visits per capita (+90) and a substantial 50% increase from 2018 to 2023. Other countries in this category include Sweden, Hong Kong, and Qatar. Singapore leads in visits per capita but with slower growth compared to other hotspots.
Conversely, Brazil is showing a decline in piracy rates, likely due to effective regulatory measures. While the decline is moderate, it represents a positive shift in a region once plagued by high piracy levels.
New Growth Areas (Including the U.S.)
The bottom right quadrant of the graph highlights new growth areas where piracy is increasing rapidly, particularly in countries with expanding internet access. India, Nigeria, and Ghana are notable examples, each experiencing growth rates exceeding 100%. Surprisingly, the United States, a long-time leader in overall piracy traffic, is now categorized as an emerging threat due to rising per capita piracy rates.
Conclusion
This analysis provides a clear view of how video piracy is evolving across different countries. Tracking these trends is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat piracy and address emerging challenges in the digital age.