CTAM Canada is organizing its second annual Stream Safely Day on Dec. 5 to educate Canadians about the danger of streaming entertainment through illegal, pirate services and unauthorized password sharing.
According to CTAM, an industry association focused on the advancement of content distribution across multiple platforms, illegal streaming and other forms of digital video piracy account for more than $50 billion in lost revenue for the global TV and film industry. Data provided by CTAM indicates piracy rates skyrocketed during the pandemic by 44%, with an overwhelming majority of internet users (70%) holding the belief that there is nothing wrong with piracy websites and pirated content. Slightly more than one-third of Gen Zers (those born between roughly 1997 and 2012) have used stream rippers to watch TV shows, movies, or download music.
CTAM wants to educate Canadians about the dangers of ransomware, malware and malvertising, saying those who stream or download copyrighted materials from illegal streaming sites are opening themselves up to cyber attacks.
The organization says The Digital Citizens Alliance, a non-profit focused on educating consumers about threats they face online, notes that 72% of Americans who have used a credit card to purchase a piracy subscription service reported fraud issues afterwards (compared with 18% who don’t use pirate sites).
“Those who use piracy sites and apps are also four times more likely to be victims of identity theft, as 44% of those users faced this issue vs only 10% of users who consume content from safe and legal sources,” states the StreamSafely website.
Supported by member organizations, including Channel Zero, Corus Entertainment, FUBOtv, Hollywood Suite, Rogers Communications and Super Channel, individuals and companies can support Stream Safely Day by visiting https://ctam.ca/Stream-Safely-Day to access images to use on their socials, along with the #StreamSafelyDay hashtag.
Subscribe Now – Free!
Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 30 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
Let’s get started right now.