An overview of the fight against digital copyright infringement.
Despite 216 billion global visits to pirated websites in 2024, legal and technological efforts such as AI and Blockchain are showing initial effectiveness in protecting digital content.
The reality of global copyright infringement.
In 2024, the world recorded over 216 billion visits to copyright-infringing websites, according to a report from Muso, a leading data company in this field. While this number remains alarming, it represents a decrease of approximately 5.7% compared to 2023. This decline reflects the positive impact of the development of legitimate content distribution platforms and the increasingly assertive efforts of countries in the fight to protect intellectual property rights.
The technological race in copyright protection.
Technology is playing a key role in both the development and prevention of large-scale copyright infringement. Advanced solutions are being widely deployed to protect digital assets.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning
AI systems use deep learning algorithms to analyze and compare videos, audio, images, and text against original data sets. This technology is capable of identifying versions of content that have been subtly edited, such as by cutting, splicing, or altering the speed or frequency of audio. Major platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are actively applying AI to automatically scan and process infringing content.
Blockchain and immutability
Blockchain technology provides an effective solution for verifying ownership. When a digital work is created, the system encrypts and records important information such as the author's name and creation date into a unique string of characters. This data becomes immutable evidence, allowing for transparent tracking of the work's origin and usage history.
Other protection technologies
Besides AI and Blockchain, other technologies also play a significant role:
- Watermarking and Fingerprinting:A secret code is embedded in the video, image, or audio without affecting quality. This identifier persists even when the content is copied, helping to trace the source of the leak.
- Digital Rights Management (DRM):The original content is encrypted using a strong algorithm, requiring a decryption key for access. DRM allows the owner to control distribution, limit the number of copies, and require user authentication.
Global legal frameworks and advanced models
According to the 2024 Intellectual Property Protection Index, the United States ranks first globally. The country's legal foundation was established early on with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) enacted in 1998. This act, particularly Section 512, requires online platforms to establish a five-step process for notifying and removing infringing content, or face liability.
Besides the US, countries like South Korea, Japan, and European nations also have well-developed copyright systems. In Southeast Asia, Singapore is a leader thanks to its modern legal system and strict enforcement mechanisms.
Singapore's example: A zero-tolerance approach.
Singapore has demonstrated a strong stance in addressing major copyright infringement cases. In a recent case, an individual was sentenced to six months in prison and their company fined US$181,000 for selling pirated streaming equipment containing Disney and English Premier League content. Singapore's system is a coordinated effort involving specialized police forces, active cooperation from copyright holders, and collaboration with e-commerce platforms to combat the sale of pirated equipment.
AI: New Challenges and Adaptation Efforts
The explosion of AI generation also poses new challenges, making authorship more complex. To address this, countries are urgently working to finalize legislation. The French Publishers Union has sued Meta for using literary works to train AI. Meanwhile, Denmark is preparing to pass legislation to protect creators from infringements by this technology.
The fight against copyright infringement is a long-term effort, requiring a combination of technology, law, international cooperation, and user awareness. Simultaneously, promoting legitimate content services at reasonable costs and with convenient experiences is considered a sustainable solution to entice users away from pirated sources.
