Tom Powell
AN overwhelming 88% of online content watched in Spain is streamed illegally, according to a new study.
This makes the country one of Europe’s worst offenders for enjoying pirated films, TV shows and music.
The digital consumption habits study found that some 4.3 billion connections to pirated content caused an estimated loss of €1.7 billion for rights holders.
The Coalicion de Creadores – the association behind the study – announced the results were a new ‘piracy record’.
“The level of piracy in Spain is overwhelming. Therefore we are asking that illegal pages are blocked like they are in France, Italy and Germany… countries which see cultural consumption as a means of economic growth,” said director Carlota Navarrete.
Films are Spain’s worst hit industry; forming 38% of all illegal downloads. TV series account for 26%, followed by music at 24%.
Meanwhile, a total of 139 million football matches were watched illegally in more than 1.8 million Spanish homes in 2014.
And the problem with illegal streaming and downloads is only getting worse, as the number accessing illegal online content has risen by 4% from 2013.
If it can be proved that a person has downloaded a film/music/software illegally they should be fined a 1000 euro. The ISP that allows the illegal downloads should be fined 10000 euro and if they can catch the people running the Site from where the illegal downloads came from then they should face a prison sentence.
Nah just take them out and shoot them why don’t you.
Loss of €1.7 billion for rights holders… in their dreams maybe. You really believe that people would buy if they have no option of downloading pirated stuff? Why in Spain people downloading so much – times are just tough.
These figures for losses on illegal streaming really are plucked out of thin air, even hollywood directors dispute them and say that streaming does them no harm, quite the opposite. If you don’t make legal streaming available at a reasonable cost then people are going to find other ways. Netflix tried to set up in Spain four years ago without success and reportedley are going to try again this year. As for football matches yes it really is a shame to see all these footballers wandering the streets in rags and holes in their shoes begging at tables for a bit of food because your average Jose can’t afford the sky high prices of Canal +. Honestly just how much money will make these TV companies and football clubs happy. I suspect one of the most streamed movies over the past 12 months was Frozen yet it still grossed 1.2 billion dollars having cost 150 million dollars to make, worldwide Disneys share of that estimated loss of 1.7 billion dollars to the rights holders probably comes to about $10, even I could afford to lose that in a year.
Peter,
well said. It’s the same with audio downloads. in France downloading an album will set you back around €14 – what a complete rip-off. Huge profits for the record company.They have no distribution or production costs. Not to forget why the Grateful Dead set up their own label as did the Beatles and so many other bands.
I’m lucky most of my 1000 + LPs I bought s/hand from car boot sales when chumps were persuaded or more properly lied to by the music industry that CD was distortion free. I have acquired a superb classical collection for very little money.
Also do not forget that it is illegal to sell on a download, not quite sure how you would do that anyway and if your hard disc gets corrupted what do you have – nothing.
How can you compare opening up say a gatefold of a Queens/Yes or King Crimson LP to a crappy little siver disc where you need a magnifying glass to read the tiny liner notes, which is better than a download where you have sweet f/a.
I am disappointed but not surprised that you think that it is ok to steal films, music, software. You fill the forums complaining about corrupt or thieving officials company’s but it is fine when you feel you can justify it. Online theft is the same as normal theft. If you do not agree then tell me if you would be happy if someone emptied your bank account online or used your credit cards.
Many years ago I co wrote some games software only to find that more people stole it than paid for it, I was very annoyed and upset but obviously you lot would have taken it in your stride and been overjoyed that people wanted what you had worked hard to create for free.
Nobody is saying that it is OK, the point is these losses are overstated and the industry shoots itself in the foot by not making online content available at a reasonable price across all markets. People refer to the world of business having to compete in the global village well I’ll tell you an area the global village doesn’t apply and that is in the world of entertainment. Big corporations aided and abetted by compliant governments are trying to make a lot of little people criminals. Show me a service that will let me watch what I want when I want for a couple of hundred pounds a year and I’ll sgn up tomorrow as I suspect would many others.
If you’re in Spain, that service is Netflix. It’s going to launch later this year, keep an eye out for it.
Piracy is a sign of a broken distribution system. Sure, some people will always want something for nothing, but when a low priced streaming service (i.e. Netflix) moves into a new territory, piracy takes a big dive. They’re planning to launch in Spain later this year. Hopefully with a decent selection of content – though not Game of Thrones since HBO and Netflix are mortal enemies – you’ll have to wait till HBO makes its way to Spain with its standalone streaming service. If Netflix doesn’t take off in Spain, then fine, then you can say Spaniards are just thieves. Netflix’s prices are reasonable and any honest person should be okay with it.
Some nerd you are lol, Netflix (and every other streaming service) has been available in Spain for years if you use a widely available and cheap-as-chips SmartDNS or VPN system.
Is that not against the law and breaking licencing agreement’s ?
Best ask a lawyer lol.
There are two choices: see or not see. If I want to see something, there are two choices: pay or get it for free. Only, there aren’t two choices. How do I get to see – for example – some American serial or a film that interests me? They don’t sell it locally, nor do they show it on my Spanish TV (you don’t watch illegal sky TV do you?). I can’t subscribe to something, or have it shipped, legally, to my door. The only way – if I’m going to watch it – is to download it ‘illegally’. The film star loses a céntimo? How is this my fault?