According to Matthew Cheetham, CEO of the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), a survey of Vietnamese youth revealed that up to 65% are accessing pirated digital content.

Vietnam currently ranks among the countries with the highest rates of digital piracy globally, as highlighted in a recent conference titled “Strengthening international cooperation in protecting digital content copyrights,” held on August 5 in Hanoi.

This alarming reality not only severely impacts the domestic digital content industry but also poses major risks in cybersecurity, financial integrity, and legal compliance.

80% of violations occur on digital platforms

Matthew Cheetham noted, “Vietnam leads the Asia-Pacific region in terms of digital content piracy. In 2022 alone, the country lost around $348 million in just three sectors: television, film, and digital music.”

Nguyen Ngoc Han, CEO of Thu Do Multimedia, stated that 80% of copyright violations happen on digital platforms, especially via unauthorized streaming of movies, sports events, and music through pirated websites.

This widespread infringement severely undermines revenue streams for content creators, reduces state tax collections, and fuels cross-border copyright violations.

Surveys conducted by CAP and AVIA show that the percentage of Vietnamese users watching pirated content is “alarming,” surpassing many countries in the region.

Even more concerning is the threat to users themselves. Pirated sites are often embedded with malware, harmful ads, and sophisticated scams that mainly target young internet users - the demographic with the highest digital consumption.

By accessing pirated platforms, users expose themselves to the risk of identity theft, fake websites, and even financial fraud.

Technology and policy cooperation as a solution

Experts believe that solving this crisis requires a multi-pronged approach, including website blocking (site blocking), deploying advanced content protection technologies, and enhancing public awareness.

Examples from Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia demonstrate that structured site blocking, coordinated efforts between ISPs and regulators, and flexible technology solutions have significantly reduced traffic to pirated platforms, thereby driving legal service growth.

In Vietnam, several leading platforms such as TV360, FPT Play, and VTVcab ON have adopted the Sigma Multi-DRM solution integrated with AI-powered monitoring tools like SAO. These tools strengthen the ability to detect and prevent illegal access and flag copyright infringements at the source.

This technology can also identify VPN-based access and IP spoofing - common tactics used to bypass geo-blocking restrictions.

Despite technological advances, user behavior remains the decisive factor. If viewers continue favoring pirated sources simply because they are “free,” then all efforts by businesses, the government, and international partners will be in vain.

Shifting consumer behavior from using pirated content to legal services is not only a moral responsibility but also essential to protecting both users and the nation's creative economy.

Thu Uyen