When Netflix had just started offering online video content years ago, it didn’t consider piracy to be a major issue.
However, now that the company itself is one of the largest content producers, this outlook has changed drastically.
Like many other rightsholders, Netflix now keeps a close eye on pirate sites and services. The company has its own in-house anti-piracy team and also works with third-party companies, to issue takedown requests.
Increasingly, the streaming service is also teaming with other rightsholders to coordinate its enforcement efforts. Netflix is one of the founding members of the Alliance For Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and earlier this year it joined the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
This week brings yet another expansion, one that takes it across borders to Italy. Local anti-piracy organization FAPAV just announced that Netflix and the Italian football league Serie A are its latest members.
“The addition of two new members, Lega Serie A and Netflix, will consolidate and further enrich the association’s membership base,” FAPAV announced at its end-of-year gathering.
The anti-piracy group has been very active in Europe over the past several years. A few months ago, it helped to bring down the pirate release group FREE/iNCOMiNG, for example, and it was also involved in the court case that brought down the famous torrent site TNTVillage.
FAPAV has also been a driving force behind local pirate site blockades. In 2019, more than 400 new sites were blocked in Italy, which is more than double compared to the year before.
With help from Netflix, FAPAV will keep its focus on various piracy sources in the coming year.
IPTV piracy will be one of its main priorities in 2020, the group says. In addition to enforcement actions, it will also continue its efforts to educate the public on the downsides of piracy through informational campaigns.
