May 08, 2024
A new problem arose for those who subscribed to TV services in Colombia
The Colombian judiciary decided to enforce a dynamic block on a website and a mobile app that distributed pirated audiovisual content.
The Colombian judiciary decided to enforce a dynamic block on a website and a mobile app that distributed audiovisual content through the illegal maneuver known as 'online' piracy, a historic ruling in the fight against this crime in the country.
The ruling of the Colombian judiciary is another step for Latin America against piracy, a crime that affects users by dramatically exposing them to fraud, states by avoiding tax collection, and the industry through massive losses and hindering new jobs.
The National Directorate of Copyright (DNDA) issued a dynamic block against the website "SKYLATINA TV" and the "SMARTER PLAYER LITE" app, both implicated in the illegal distribution of audiovisual content.
"Dynamic blocking is a very efficient tool to stop illegal retransmissions in each country. In recent years, the Colombian judiciary has made significant progress, allowing the industry to proactively alert illegal retransmissions so that they are quickly blocked by Internet service providers," said Jorge Bacaloni, president of the Alliance Against Audiovisual Piracy (Alliance).
The DNDA established the dynamic block after verifying that the mentioned website and app violated 'copyright and related rights' and illegally marketed channels licensed by DIRECTV, the leading company in satellite TV, streaming, and connectivity.
In the precautionary measure, the Colombian judiciary specified that the piracy maneuvers included the 'offering, provision, distribution, communication to the public, and making available on the internet' of the content obtained illegally by the accused website and app.
This historic ruling in Colombia was implemented based on the investigation and corresponding complaint filed by Alliance, an industry organization dedicated to the protection of intellectual property and the security of audiovisual content.
"This judicial ruling represents a crucial step in protecting intellectual property and preserving the legitimate audiovisual industry in Colombia. It is a clear message that online piracy will not be tolerated and that decisive measures will be taken to combat it," said Bacaloni, who is also the regional manager of Anti-Piracy at Vrio Corp., parent company of DIRECTV Latin America and SKY Brazil.
A recent investigation on online piracy in Latin America revealed that more than 40% of households with internet access consume illegal content. The criminal practice causes billion-dollar losses for the industry, states, and threatens job creation.
In Colombia's case, the Pay-TV Signal Piracy and Online study in Latam revealed that 4.1 million households with internet access consumed pirated content online, generating losses of USD $400 million for the industry and USD $76 million in uncollected taxes.
Moreover, according to the survey, over 4,140 jobs were lost due to piracy practices that also pose a risk to users who expose their personal data to contract illegal services.
If all the economic variables affected by online piracy are considered, the negative quantitative impact for Colombia amounts to USD $500 million annually. If traditional piracy data (such as unauthorized illegal retransmission by cable operators) are considered, the negative impact on the country's economy is even greater.
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