Produced by WPI Economics, The Price of Piracy was commissioned by BeStreamWise, a cross-industry initiative aiming to raise awareness of the damage caused by illegal streaming. The report said pirated content deprives the economy of an estimated £1.35 billion per annum, equating to lost tax revenue of some £366 million, enough to pay for 9,400 qualified nurses, 140 million free school meals or 43 million childcare hours.
BeStreamWise called for action from the government and wider industry to clamp down on illegal streaming services, as well as helping consumers to understand the issue.
Commenting on the release of the report, Sir John Whittingdale MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Intellectual Property, said, “This report should act as a wake-up call: intellectual property theft and illegal streaming is a serious threat and urgent action is needed. The report provides concrete evidence that piracy costs the UK economy more than £1 billion every year and jeopardises thousands of creative industry jobs. It also directly exposes consumers to the risk of fraud, with some individuals losing thousands of pounds. Government and parliament need to work together with industry to enforce the law, to protect investment and to safeguard jobs in one of Britain’s crown jewel sectors.”
Liz Bales, chief executive at the British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), said, “Piracy has a direct impact on the UK’s world-leading creative industry by funnelling money away from investment in new productions, talent and opportunities. Illegal streaming simultaneously puts consumers at risk, opening them up to the dangers of malware which can allow criminals to steal banking details and other key personal information as well as make devices unusable.
“We have spent almost two decades working closely with the industry to tackle infringement and educate consumers on the safest way to enjoy the films and TV shows they love, but as viewing habits and piracy tactics continue to evolve, this increasingly requires a more integrated approach.
“We welcome the publication of The Price of Piracy report and very much look forward to further collaborative efforts across the industry and beyond to protect consumers, the content they watch, and the creative industry that makes it happen.”
