15 Shocking Movie Piracy Statistics to Know in 2024
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With the help of the internet, piracy outgrew its initial definition, reaching the online world.
Movie piracy, in particular, refers to the digital distribution of copyrighted films or TV programs without the owner’s consent.
The industry remains highly impacted, with 20.4 billion website visits to illegal distribution websites.
Together, TV and movie piracy statistics show losses of billions of dollars, pushing thousands to lose their jobs.
Let’s learn more:
Unsettling movie piracy statistics
While many underestimate the dangers behind digital piracy, it’s left profound traces on the movie industry:
- In 2021, movie pirate websites received 20.4 billion visits.
- “Jurassic World” is the most pirated movie of all time.
- The US is responsible for 10.9% of all global piracy traffic.
- Television piracy accounted for 47.7% of the total piracy traffic in 2022.
- Almost 127 billion TV show episodes are illegally watched annually.
- The global movie industry loses between $40 and $97.1 billion annually to digital piracy.
Let’s dive into movie industry piracy statistics with more details below.
General movie piracy statistics
Everyone enjoys watching their favorite movies and TV shows through premium streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
However, many use pirate websites and illegal streaming channels to access copyrighted content for free.
1. Website visits related to movie piracy increased by 29.3% in 2022.
(Source: MUSO)
MUSO estimated 52.5 billion visits to piracy websites in 2022, a 29.3% increase compared to 2021.
When broken down, TV content faced a 19.2% growth, while the film industry rocketed by 42.5%.
2. 47.7% of all piracy visits are for TV content.
(Source: MUSO)
According to the statistics, 47.7% of all piracy visits are for TV content, including anime series, live sports, and TV shows.
In comparison, 26.8% of piracy visits are for publishing content, which includes magazines, ebooks, Manga, and newspapers.
3. Unauthorized streaming is punishable by a year in jail or a $100,000 fine.
(Source: All Connect)
As of 2022, streaming is illegal in the US if it contains proprietary content, meaning you’re breaking the law without the proper authorization.
The maximum penalty is a whopping $100,000 fine, one year sentence, or two times the amount of the loss or gain in money.
4. The global movie industry loses between $40 and $97.1 billion annually to digital piracy.
(Source: DataProt)
Between $40 and $97.1 billion perishes in the movie industry, while the range for TV is from $39.3 to $95.4 billion.
5. Movie piracy increased by 36% in 2022.
(Source: Variety)
2022 saw a 36% year-on-year growth in demand for pirated movies. That’s partly due to the release of blockbuster titles like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “The Batman”.
Movie piracy statistics by medium
Although piracy is rising, it varies in numbers and stats when broken down into separate categories for TV and film.
As a result, it negatively impacts industries distinctively, with TV as the leading pirated content worldwide.
6. In 2021, MUSO tracked 91.6 billion visits to TV piracy websites.
(Source: MUSO)
According to a 5-year study, TV piracy lifted above pre-pandemic levels and faced a 13.2% increase compared to 2020.
7. There were 20.4 billion visits to film piracy websites in 2021.
(Source: MUSO)
Based on movie industry piracy statistics, there were 20.4 billion visits to film piracy websites in 2021.
That is a dramatic 31% increase globally and a 47% increase specifically in the US, primarily driven by blockbuster films.
8. Pirated TV shows and movies get 230 billion views each year.
(Source: MUSO)
MUSO measured that over 230 billion people view pirated TV content yearly, making it the most pirated industry worldwide.
9. 57% of pirated movies worldwide are from illegal streaming websites.
(Source: Variety)
Data suggests that users often have a preferred piracy destination to watch or download illegal content.
Accordingly, 57% of pirates prefer illegal streaming websites, 26% enjoy web downloads, and 16% P2P torrenting platforms to access pirated media.
Movie piracy statistics by location
Consumer location is another critical factor when it comes to movie piracy and illegal streaming.
Based on visits to pirate websites, US consumers are in the lead, with Russia, India, China, and France following.
10. The US showed the most substantial global piracy demand in 2022.
(Source: MUSO)
According to data from anti-piracy companies, the United States indicated the highest global piracy demand in 2022.
Statistics show 5.7 billion visits to piracy websites and a growth of 38.9% since the first quarter of 2021.
11. 1 in 10 Americans have pirated Movies, TV, or live sports in 2022.
(Source: Variety)
Unsurprisingly 48% say they did it because it’s cheaper. However, 36% reported having to pirate content because it wasn’t available through other means.
12. Illegally accessing copyrighted content consumes 24% of the network bandwidth in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific.
(Source: EnterpriseAppsToday)
Statistics indicate in these three regions – North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific – 24% of the internet bandwidth goes to piracy.
The study also discovered that 178.7 million unique web users turned to BitTorrent for digital piracy in the same three regions.
Movie piracy statistics by content
In short, movie piracy is on the rise, and many film and TV titles have become more accessible and affordable than ever.
Accordingly, the increased demand for high-profile blockbuster titles like “John Wick: Chapter 4” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” is inevitable.
13. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was the most pirated movie of 2022.
(Source: Torrent Freak)
Film piracy aims to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023, with many blockbuster titles announced to release within the next few months.
Accordingly, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is currently the most pirated movie, followed by “John Wick: Chapter 4”.
14. “House of the Dragon S1” took up 17% of all illegal streams in 2022.
(Source: Statista)
Muso data showed surprising numbers in the most illegally streamed TV shows in 2022 and is bound to increase rapidly in 2023.
Accordingly, “House of the Dragon S1” took up 17% of illegal streams in 2022, followed by “Chainsaw Man S1” and “Running Man S1.”
15. “Jurassic World” is the most pirated movie of all time.
(Source: MovieWeb)
2015’s “Jurassic World” holds the top spot for the most pirated movie in history with 37 million illegal downloads. The next two places are held by “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Interstellar”.
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Wrap up
Digital piracy is a serious issue, causing financial harm and leaving thousands of people jobless.
Movie piracy statistics strongly agree that piracy is on the rise, exclusively when blockbuster movie titles release.
Keep in mind that unauthorized streaming is punishable by a year in jail or a $1000 fine in the US.
So, it’s not worth it to risk yourself and harm other businesses merely to avoid paying a few bucks to premium streaming services.
FAQ
The United States remains the No.1 on the list, responsible for 10.9% of all global piracy traffic. And Russia, India, China, France, Brazil, Canada, Japan, and the UK follow the US, respectively.
Television piracy accounted for 47.7% of total piracy traffic in 2022, making it the most pirated content worldwide. This includes movies, anime series, live sports events, and TV shows.
Movie and TV piracy is relatively common, with pirated TV shows and movies receiving over 230 billion views per year. However, the numbers climb even higher when new blockbuster titles release.
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