Bad news for people pirating DStv

DStv owner MultiChoice has been on a mission to tackle streaming piracy globally, with raids in South Africa alone resulting in the arrest of at least ten suspects this year.

According to Frikkie Jonker, the broadcast cybersecurity anti-piracy director at MultiChoice-owned Irdeto, pirates operate like sophisticated criminal organizations.

He said they are constantly adapting their tactics and actively monitor anti-piracy efforts to develop countermeasures.

This makes it crucial for those combating piracy to be proactive, anticipate pirate tactics, and develop new technologies to stay ahead.

Jonker said piracy has a tremendous economic impact on the creative industry, leading to significant revenue loss and jeopardizing the livelihoods of people who produce content. This includes films, shows, and software — including video games.

Although the exact financial impact is difficult to quantify, Jonker said losses amount to billions of dollars.

Partners Against Piracy (PAP) and other organizations are working to conduct market surveys and research to better understand the full economic consequences of piracy, he said.

Among the biggest concerns for MultiChoice and organisations like PAP in recent years is pirate streaming services and unauthorized IPTV platforms.

Despite the illegality and potential dangers of using these services, they remain attractive to many South Africans.

Some offer free content, while others provide access to a broad range of content for much cheaper than paying the associated streaming services.

Since pirate platforms don’t have to worry about covering the costs of actually producing the content they misappropriate, they can charge much less and make massive profits.

With the proliferation of these platforms, MultiChoice has been increasingly cracking down on pirate streaming in South Africa.

In June 2024, the pay-TV broadcaster announced that a raid the month before had resulted in the arrest of a suspect allegedly involved in the Waka TV pirate streaming operation.

The suspect appeared in court in early June, charged with fraud and contravening the Cybercrimes Act.

“Additional charges are being considered in consultation with the Senior Public Prosecutor,” MultiChoice stated at the time.

Equipment was seized during the raid, and the company indicated that more arrests were imminent.

A day later, MultiChoice announced the arrest of another suspect. The individual allegedly sold pirated Internet streaming devices that enabled users to access DStv content.

MultiChoice said the suspect managed several pirate customers and resellers, sold pirate streaming devices, and distributed DStv content, including live channels, movies, and series.

In July, MultiChoice announced that it had conducted another read that had resulted in the arrest of a suspect.

The suspect was also accused of selling login credentials and selling pirate Internet streaming devices. The arrest also led to the confiscation of numerous pieces of equipment.

A month later, MultiChoice announced the arrest of two individuals in a joint operation with the Milnerton South African Police Services. The suspects also allegedly sold pirated Internet streaming boxes that enabled access to paid-for DStv content.

MultiChoice also struck significant blows against Waka TV operators in September and November.

In September, it raided premises in Germiston, leading to the arrest of an individual allegedly involved in fraud, money laundering, theft, in addition to piracy through Waka TV.

MultiChoice announced three further arrests since then, two of which involved individuals allegedly involved in Waka TV.

According to Jonker, Irdeto employs several technological measures to disrupt and identify content piracy operations.

This includes content monitoring and identification, which can analyze content being streamed or shared on various platforms and trace it back to the user or account responsible for the infringement.

Irdeto also possesses technology that enables them to deactivate accounts involved in piracy in real-time, Jonker said.

During the Rugby World Cup, Irdeto successfully identified and deactivated pirate streams attempting to use SuperSport feeds.

This immediate action disrupted illegal viewing and led to frustration among those who had paid for access to the pirated streams.

Jonker said they also actively work with social media platforms like Twitter/X, Telegram, Facebook, and e-commerce sites like eBay to take down infringing content and listings.

They report a 99% success rate in removing illegal posts and content, contributing to a significant reduction in the potential viewership of pirated material.

Irdeto also conducts technical analysis of seized pirate devices. This provides evidence for law enforcement agencies, enabling them to take action against individuals involved in piracy.

Jonker said that they would continue to take down piracy operations and warned that once they’ve dealt with the kingpins, the viewers using these illegal services are next.

“We are going after the whole ecosystem,” said Jonker.