Thirty entertainment companies come together to fight global piracy

The group estimates that in 2016 there were 5.4 billion illegal downloads of movies, TV shows and videos

   Thirty big entertainment companies from around the world, including Amazon, Disney, BBC and Warner Bros, announced a global alliance to combat Internet piracy and protect the legal market of creative content.

The so-called Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) will conduct investigations, work with authorities to close pirate companies, promote lawsuits, cooperate with national content protection organizations and seek voluntary agreements with those involved, according to a statement.

   In recent years, the legal market for creative content has grown exponentially and there are now more than 480 services available on the Internet to watch films and TV programs on demand. In the United States alone, this sector contributes 1.2 trillion dollars to the economy and gives rise to 5.5 million direct jobs per year, said ACE.

However, in its transition to online platforms, this market has been accompanied by a "continuous threat" to creators, consumers and the economy, argues the coalition of companies. The group estimates that in 2016 there were 5,400 million illegal downloads of movies, TV shows and videos on demand through file-sharing platforms (peer-to-peer) around the world and 21,400 million visits to sites in line (streaming) pirates on computers and mobile phones.

"One out of every three pirated sites directs malware (malicious programs) to consumers, which can lead to a series of problems including identity theft and financial losses, according to a December 2015 Digital Citizens Alliance report," the statement said. . Among the 30 companies that make up ACE are Canal + Group, CBS Corporation, HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Telemundo, Televisa, Twentieth Century Fox or Univision. .

The group will use resources against global piracy of the Motion Picture Association of America and, internally, those of the experts in this matter of each member of ACE. "The ACE initiative is very important at a time when content consumption habits are changing rapidly and hacking methods are becoming more sophisticated," said BBC legal director Martyn Freeman.

CBS executive vice president Jonathan Anschell considered "more important than ever" to monitor copyright protection. "For the creative community to really flourish, you must know that your work will be safe from theft," he added.