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Vocus Group NZ Report Concludes Piracy is Driven by Pricing and Availability

By Nitish Singh / February 26, 2019

According to a study conducted by Vocus Group NZ, the ability to offer content or its availability is what drives piracy. According to the telecoms group, offering users content is a much better way of putting an end to piracy than blocking websites.

With users being able to find loopholes one way or another, site blocking is not feasible long term when it comes to blocking piracy. There are VPNs, private file sharing platforms and means of acquiring pirated content making website blocking simply a minor inconvenience.

According to Vocus, legitimate streaming content providers have been able to stamp out piracy by making streaming plans as affordable as possible. Users are able to access content at reasonable prices. This is something Hollywood has failed to tackle as an industry over time.

Vocus also believes that piracy is dying on its own as a large number of locals are choosing to access content legitimately thanks to lower costs. Locals are not interested in the hassle that comes with using pirate websites. Staying legitimate allows users to access content anytime they want on any device.

According to the report, 75% surveyed individuals view content on free-to-air TV services while 61% access content via free-on-demand channels. Netflix users accounted for 55% of the respondents while 58% visit cinemas to watch movies.

The report concludes that offering content at price-points users can afford it is the best way forward. Vocus revealed “Piracy is finally dying. The reason for that requires an understanding of why people pirated in the first place. They didn’t do it because of inherent criminality, but rather because they couldn’t get the shows they wanted at a price they were prepared to pay.”

What do you think about the report on piracy by Vocus? Let us know in the comments below, and help us spread the word by sharing this post through our socials, on Facebook and Twitter.



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