OSN detected and removed more than 380,000 links for pirated content online and conducted 43 raids across the region this year.
OSN has joined forces with the Abu Dhabi Police in its continuous efforts to combat television piracy, which resulted in a raid of three shops located in the main satellite market in Electra Street, Abu Dhabi.
Around 202 pirate devices were confiscated, three individuals arrested and three shops sealed. The raid followed OSN using market intelligence which they shared with Abu Dhabi Police Economic Crimes Department before submitting an official complaint and supporting the police with on-site support during the raid.
According to OSN, piracy is costing the MENA region’s entertainment industry up to $750m every year, a number which increased due to Covid-19 lockdowns and the changing consumer habits related to it.
This year, OSN has noticed a significant rise in the downloads of pirate applications that are being used to view its exclusive content and channels illegally.
In its ongoing battle against piracy, OSN detected and removed more than 380,000 links for pirated content online, conducted 43 raids across the region and confiscated thousands of boxes along with illegal cards in 2020.
As an active member of the Broadcast Satellite Anti-Piracy Coalition, OSN continues to work hand-in-hand with the enforcement authorities across the region such as Dept of Economic Development (DED) in the UAE, General Commission of Audio Visual Media (GCAM) in KSA, Economic Crimes Police, Ministry of Interior, Communication and Information Technology Regulator (CITRA) in Kuwait, Ministry of information in Bahrain and the Antipiracy Police in Egypt.
Commenting on the development, Hanif Khan, Director of Anti-Piracy & Content Security at OSN said: “Piracy is causing enormous losses for the entertainment industry, the authorities and the end-users. As the leading entertainment network in the MENA region, it is our duty to work with the authorities and invest in equipment, training and solutions to combat this crime. Two out of these three stores had been raided before, and that means people can expect much harsher punishments and punitive fines if they continue to participate in these damaging activities.”
“Indeed, solutions such as the OSN streaming application have had a positive impact and helped reduce some of the piracy usages due to its accessible price point and the quality of content. However, we still have a long way to go to reduce piracy in the region,” Hanif added.
Abu Dhabi Police underscored its increasing efforts to combat all sorts of crimes in collaboration with related authorities. The AD Police also highlighted its commitment to eradicate piracy utilising its advanced capabilities, as well as the efforts of its investigative teams and the watchful eyes, who all play a leading role in reinforcing security and safety, ultimately providing peace of mind to society.
Abu Dhabi Police encouraged the public to only use authorised and licensed distributors when it comes to pay-tv in order to avoid commercial fraud – a crime our society fights against. Additionally, the AD Police praised OSN’s efforts and commitment to coordinating with them to combat television piracy, setting an admirable example of collaboration between partners.
