Content piracy involves the unauthorised acquisition, use, sharing or selling of copyrighted content. Put simply, piracy is stealing. As high-quality content and advanced streaming technology become more easily available, it has also become easier for pirates to illegally acquire and redistribute content.

Content piracy affects the music, film and TV industries; as well as academia, publishing, blogging and broadcasting, among other sectors. It not only steals from the people who might earn a living from the content created, but from the audiences who might otherwise get to enjoy more relevant shows, movies, series, written work and music.

When the local industry is not viable because of content piracy and the violation of copyrights, content platforms stop commissioning local content and supporting local economies, then it is easily replaced with alternatives, which include international content produced in the US and the Global North.

While possibly more affordable, importing content at the expense of locally produced works stagnate growth of the local industry and retards job creation efforts for both emerging and established creatives.

If left unchecked, content piracy could mean the end of Africa’s creative industries, which would have negative spill over effects into adjacent industries such as tourism, fashion and hospitality, to name a few.