Did you know that almost half of all piracy traffic is related to TV shows? And the problem seems to be growing, especially in the UK, where it’s now ranked third globally in terms of absolute numbers. What’s fascinating is that some folks are turning to illegal downloads and streams even when they have access to the same content legally and at no cost. It’s a curious phenomenon that sheds light on the evolving landscape of media consumption.
It’s undeniable that on-demand streaming services have become the go-to choice for TV viewing among many people today.
The convenience of watching TV series at one’s own pace is now a standard expectation. But rewind 15 years, and the on-demand experience was primarily the domain of pirates.
TV piracy has witnessed a resurgence in recent times, despite the availability of legal streaming options. In fact, TV pirates account for nearly half of all traffic on pirate sites, according to data from MUSO, a piracy tracking firm.
The numbers are eye-opening. In just the first four months of this year, there were an estimated 33.6 billion visits to piracy websites for TV content worldwide. The majority of this traffic originates from the US and Russia, which isn’t surprising given their large populations. However, what’s unexpected is the rapid ascent of the UK, now sitting proudly in third place.
A mere year ago, the UK was ranked sixth, signaling a significant surge in interest in TV show piracy over the past year.
“It is intriguing to observe the growing demand from the UK, now securing the third spot in terms of consumption by country, compared to its sixth-place position during the same period in 2021,” notes MUSO.
MUSO’s data sheds light on an interesting trend: cost isn’t always the driving factor for UK pirates. Even when TV shows are legally available for free, some still opt to pirate them instead.
Take, for example, the latest season of Peaky Blinders. Despite being freely accessible on the BBC, many UK viewers chose to pirate it instead. This suggests that habits may be at play, with audiences becoming accustomed to a particular viewing experience, regardless of its legality.
“Peaky Blinders S6 2022 was free to air in the UK, yet the UK is still ranked as the 9th country in the global demand list for this title [March 2022]. This confirms a trend we have previously seen that suggests audiences become used to the viewer experience of a platform, whether it is legal or not,” notes MUSO.
Subscription fatigue may also be contributing to the rise in TV piracy globally. With legal content spread across multiple subscription services, some viewers may prefer to turn to pirate sites rather than adding yet another subscription to their list. This phenomenon could be driving up piracy numbers.
A glance at the list of most pirated TV shows in the first quarter of 2022 confirms this trend. Topping the list is season two of the HBO show “Euphoria,” followed by the first seasons of “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Peacemaker” – all from paid subscription services.
These insights highlight the complexity of piracy, which isn’t solely motivated by cost but also by habits. Content creators must address these factors to minimize the appeal of pirate sites and services.
