NAGRA: “GoT piracy meant spoiler fest”

Notoriously known as one of the most pirated shows in history, Game of Thrones is just one example of the impact illicit streaming can have. It begs the questions – what is the real impact of piracy? And, what can be done about it?

Simon Trudelle, Senior Director Product Marketing at NAGRA, offered the following insights: “As a high-value television series, Game of Thrones enjoys incredible consumer awareness, its popularity also drives up piracy figures to record levels over time. The piracy threat surrounding Game of Thrones clearly indicates that we are now fully operating in a globally-connected consumer market, where the Internet can be massively misused by pirates.”

“Leaked episodes, especially in the case of the Game of Thrones series finale, increase the likelihood of fans hearing about the final plot line before the episode airs – ruining the fan experience. It also makes it increasingly difficult for the industry to finance and develop new and entertaining content for consumers.”

“The overall impact of pirated Game of Thrones’ episodes differs in the short-term and long-term. In the short-term, the social dimension of the premium end-of-series experience will bring friends and families together in their living rooms – even if pirated material is available online. However, because the Internet can bring top-value content to consumers on a worldwide scale for years to come, the long-term effect of pirated content is an increasing concern for content owners.”

“In today’s increasingly complex media environment, it is equally important to preserve both the value of premium content for content owners, and the enjoyment of that content for consumers. In the case of the final episode of Game of Thrones, preventing leaks and if needed, identifying the source of any leak is critical.”

“To preserve the value of high-value content for both consumers and content owners, sophisticated content protection technologies, such as forensic watermarking, and anti-piracy services can help identify leaks and trace them back to the source. With the right technologies in place, it is possible to identify which legitimate clients the stream is leaking from, and then stop the distribution through that point.”