Partners Against Piracy: Major wins in the war on content theft in Africa Worldwide partnerships between governments, law enforcement bodies, cybersecurity specialists, and civil-society NGOs are making significant strides against content piracy across the African continent. The collaborative efforts to dismantle international crime syndicates that steal content have led to several recent successes, broadening the partnerships and tightening the net around those involved in content crimes.
Raids and arrests are now happening almost weekly in various African countries, effectively shutting down illegal streaming sites. The latest digital technology is being utilized to trace the sources and users of illicit streams. Even though technology facilitates content piracy, it also enhances the ability to track and prosecute those involved, according to Frikkie Jonker, Director of Anti-Piracy Cybersecurity Services at MultiChoice Group. Advanced tools such as forensic watermarking, proactive monitoring, and global collaborations enable immediate takedowns and follow-up arrest operations when necessary.
A notable recent development is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Ethiopia aimed at combating piracy, supporting the creative sector, and protecting the country’s cultural heritage. This agreement, involving MultiChoice Africa, the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Sport (MOCS), and the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA), aims to collaboratively counter piracy and improve the safeguarding of intellectual property rights in Ethiopia. It builds on earlier partnerships under the Africa-wide Partners Against Piracy (PAP) programme.
Piracy not only compromises the livelihoods of creators and rightsholders but also has detrimental cultural ramifications, diminishing the local content economy. By defending creative and cultural assets, a sustainable environment for creators can be cultivated, ensuring the flourishing of a country’s creative landscape.
Last year, PAP executed over 155 successful raids across Africa, leading to the closing of 4,351 networks and the arrest of 107 individuals engaged in illegal activities. Recent achievements include the launch of PAP in Namibia in partnership with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB). In Botswana, enforcement action led by the Botswana Police Service and the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) resulted in raids on five shops selling illegal decoders. In collaboration with the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and the National Police Service, PAP effectively shut down the pirate sports streaming site “score808.US.”
Efforts also extended to Uganda, where a media workshop focused on combating content piracy and intellectual property was held in partnership with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB). In Zimbabwe, AI technology was deployed to identify and detect pirate content online. Additionally, PAP participated in an anti-piracy conference in Angola and addressed illegal content usage in 160 hotels and lodges in Mozambique by launching raids in response.
PAP is also engaged in efforts to reform outdated laws concerning piracy trends. Given that most pirated content originates from outside Africa, employing dynamic IP blocking assists in thwarting the African IP addresses used to disseminate this content to local users. Local underground dealers and resellers, as well as agents selling credentials for illegal services, are also key players in this piracy network.
Through daily partnerships with local law enforcement, PAP conducts raids leading to arrests and prosecutions, and advanced technology allows for the disconnection of clients utilizing illegal services at the click of a button. Furthermore, PAP collaborates with international enforcement agencies, such as those in Europe, Interpol, and US Homeland Security, to target overseas kingpins.
While the successes so far are promising and encouraging in the ongoing battle against piracy, it’s clear that a collective effort is vital to continue making progress in this fight.
