Pirate IPTV: Sweden Mulls ‘Viewing Ban’ as Illegal Subscriptions Soar 25%

A new report from consultancy firm Mediavision provides data on IPTV piracy that the Swedish government didn’t want to hear. Between spring and fall of 2024, illegal subscriptions increased by a record 25%, with an estimated 700,000 households now regularly paying to pirate. The government considers a ‘viewing ban’ for citizens but, there appears to be no clear idea how or even if that would work.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

iptv-ff-sWith the original Pirate Bay generation now all grown up, those few years of pirate rebellion aired on the world stage have been fading in Sweden for quite some time. On the rapidly evolving internet, such things are inevitable.

Yet, even those most dedicated to The Pirate Bay’s downfall may take a moment to consider how things were, and how that led to the almost unrecognizable piracy arena that exists today. The Pirate Bay didn’t just survive, it continues to live, but on the way the streaming revolution changed everything.

The illegal streaming platforms and IPTV services dominating the market today are an entirely different breed. There’s no desire to level the media playing field or mobilize the masses towards any kind of change. With few exceptions, interactions with users today are almost entirely on a commercial basis.

The Pirate Pay

Paying to consume pirated content used to carry a stigma, but not anymore. In Sweden, where paying for free movies would’ve been mostly considered a joke, people seem almost eager to pay and, as a result, pirate IPTV consumption has reached record levels.

A new study from Stockholm-based consulting firm Mediavision offers little, if any good news for rightsholders.

For a government under increasing pressure to tackle the issue head on, news that pirate IPTV consumption increased by 25%, in the period bridging spring and fall 2024, the situation could hardly be worse.

More New Records, So What’s The Plan?

With a population of 11 million and an average of 2.15 occupants per household, 4.4 million homes are enough for the entire population of Sweden. By the fall of 2024, Mediavision says, an estimated 700,000 of those households were subscribing to an illegal IPTV service and happily paying for the privilege.

“This is a new record level and a significant increase compared to the spring of 2024,” Mediavision notes.

The government’s response effectively rules out any specific action for at least several months. An inquiry launched at the start of 2024 to review national film policy, was originally scheduled for investigator Eva Bergquist to report back during the next few weeks.

Instead, Bergquist will continue with an investigation and analysis centered on pirate IPTV. There will be an assessment of damage to the film and TV industries, and work to determine whether there’s a need to take action against citizens who pay for illegal services.

“Investigator Eva Bergquist will analyze whether there is a need for a ban on private individuals receiving illegal IPTV and if so, what such a ban should look like in that case,” commented Minister of Culture, Parisa Liljestrand.

In 2017, the Court of Justice of the European Union confirmed that consumption of pirate streams is illegal. The suggestion that a second local ‘ban’ will achieve more than the first, already declared by Europe’s highest court, seems unlikely.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.