A UK study warns that illegal streaming exposes viewers to fraud, identity theft, malware and potentially organised crime; 37% of active users surveyed had encountered harmful or unsafe content. Researchers estimate fraud and theft cost these users about £270 million annually, while UK consumers spend around £1.2 billion a year on pirated content.
Illegal streaming costs UK broadcasters an estimated £1.35 billion annually, including losses from sports, films and television. The study estimates wider effects equivalent to 10,400 jobs and £366 million in lost tax revenue, potentially reducing investment in production and sport.
A WPI Economics study estimates that 31% of UK adults accessed illegal streams in the previous three months, rising to 51% among 18–24-year-olds. Films and TV were more commonly pirated than live sports, and social media was the most common access route.
Omdia's study emphasizes the need for a shift from reactive to preventive anti-piracy measures in the streaming era, highlighting the limitations of traditional methods and advocating for multi-DRM, forensic watermarking, and application security to enhance content protection.
The Omdia study Next-Generation Anti-Piracy for TV and Video: Why the streaming era demands a shift from reaction to prevention therefore warns that piracy can no longer be viewed solely as a technical or legal issue.
According to an Ipsos survey carried out for the Advertising Council, the majority of Czechs believe that advertising does not have a significant impact on the amount of alcohol consumed.
According to a survey by the STEM/MARK agency, 60 per cent of AI users are unsure whether the output they receive from the tool is actually correct.
Despite the increase in legal streaming services, piracy remains prevalent, with over 21% of online adults using unauthorized sources, particularly among engaged viewers like sports fans. The study highlights that convenience and ease of access are significant factors driving this trend.
Illegal streaming is costing the UK economy at least £1.35 billion a year and is linked to the loss of more than 10,000 jobs, according to a report commissioned by anti-piracy initiative BeStreamWise.
Nearly 1.2 million households across the Nordic region now have access to illegal IPTV services, spending an estimated €280 million a year, according to new research from Mediavision.
There were 6.2 billion illegal streams of 90 seconds or more globally for the Spain vs Argentina Final match according to GCI. While the FIFA World Cup 2026 broke viewing records in the U.S. on linear TV and on streaming platforms, new data from Gaming Compliance International (GCI) suggests that an enormous amount of illegal ... Continue reading
Television broadcasts still account for the bulk of the time spent in front of the TV screen.
