Globe Boosts Efforts In Combating Online Piracy

Globe reaffirmed its commitment to step up efforts to combat content piracy in the Philippines amid rising demand for online entertainment such as movies, music, sports, games, and TV shows as many Filipinos stay at home.

The company made this pledge during a regional content protection and anti-piracy workshop led by the North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA) and the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA). Globe participated in the panel discussion on “How to Build a United Front in the Battle Against Piracy” together with representatives from its fellow anti-piracy advocates.

Anton Bonifacio, Globe Chief Information Security Officer, said the company is coordinating closely with government and content providers in crafting an appropriate site-blocking mechanism that will put more teeth in the fight against cyber pirates in the absence of an enabling law.

The company is also investing in piracy detection technologies for more efficient monitoring and takedown of illegal sites.

At the same time, Bonifacio said they are focusing on placing anti-piracy materials on illegal sites and educating the public about the negative impacts of this practice, such as being exposed to malware and inappropriate content.

Globe runs #PlayItRight, an anti-piracy campaign that encourages customers and the public to play content from legitimate sources. Through this, Globe helps protect the work and sustain the jobs of filmmakers and content creators.

Likewise, Globe is bundling Over-the-Top (OTT) services such as Netflix, HBO GO, WeTV, iFlix, and the NBA with voice and data services to make them more affordable and discourage consumers from patronizing illegal streaming sites and downloading pirated materials.

Despite the pandemic accelerating the use of OTT services, many consumers still turn to illegal sources to avoid paying for multiple services, especially if their preferred content is scattered across different OTTs, and due to the need to prioritize essentials over OTT payments.

“Globe is relentless in fighting online content piracy since this criminal act robs Filipino content creators and artists of their livelihood and limits the potential of our promising entertainment and media industry. Pirated content also often contains malware that infiltrates and damages our devices and gets our sensitive information. It also affects bandwidth and slows down network speeds. This affects everyone, and we all have a shared responsibility to curb this,” Bonifacio explained.

Recently, Globe bagged the best Privacy Initiative of 2021 for its book “Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy” from the National Privacy Commission (NPC) in the first-ever Privacy Awareness Week Awards. The book helps children understand the concept of data privacy and security in a fun and engaging way.

A recent study commissioned by AVIA in the third quarter of 2020 revealed that 49% of online respondents in the Philippines admitted to accessing piracy streaming sites. This placed the country as the third highest consumer of illegal content after Thailand (53%) and Vietnam (50%). Despite this, about half of Filipino respondents recognize that online piracy results in job loss, increases the risk of malware infections, and defrauds the government of taxes.

Globe’s efforts to curb online content piracy are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) No. 8 to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

To know more about how Globe is keeping digital lifestyle safe and secure, please visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html.