Piracy via Fire Stick causes billions of dollars in losses and exposes brands to new risks

A new and convincing study by Enders Analysis points to Amazon's Fire Stick as the engine of a wave of piracy that generates billions of dollars in losses.

However, what seems to be a problem only for the entertainment industry hides a much broader threat, capable of affecting the reputation and security of brands from all sectors.

Follow the following analysis and understand how the popularization of these devices creates a new and dangerous battlefield for companies. Shall we go?

The growth of piracy on streaming devices

The research details how most of the digital piracy Today it focuses on the illegal broadcasting of sporting events, a market driven by the high costs of legal packages. That's why consumers turn to unlocked devices, such as the Fire Stick, to access content for free or at a reduced cost.

And the Amazon device was identified as the most used in this scenario, being responsible for “billions of dollars in piracy”.

Data from Sky Group, one of the largest TV operators in Europe, reinforces this conclusion: 59% of users who consumed pirated content in the United Kingdom in the last year did so through a modified Fire Stick.

The study also points out that the problem goes beyond Amazon, citing the negligence of other technology giants. Google and Microsoft, for example, were criticized for flaws in updating their content protection technologies (Widevine and PlayReady), while Meta was held responsible for allowing advertisements for illegal services to appear on their platforms.

Beyond revenue: the hidden risks for brands

The financial loss to the entertainment industry is just the tip of the iceberg. That's because the real danger of the piracy ecosystem is that it works as a vector for large scale scams, compromising the security of brands in all segments.

And illegal platforms are gateways for malware and for capturing sensitive data. With this data in hand, the same criminal networks create cloned sites, fake promotion ads, and fraudulent profiles, using the credibility of banks, retailers, and other companies to carry out scams.

The result is direct damage to the reputation of these brands, which now bear the costs of crises, service to injured customers, and the loss of consumer confidence.

In other words, in this way, piracy works as a catalyst, normalizing a scam environment that makes the digital ecosystem riskier and more expensive for all companies.

The need for comprehensive brand protection

The scenario described by the Enders Analysis study shows that the fight against piracy and digital scams is a complex battle, which cannot be fought in isolation by each company.

The systemic failure of big techs to police ecosystems makes active and specialized surveillance indispensable. And it is in this context that brand protection solutions, such as the one offered by Branddi, become essential. After all, through continuous monitoring on marketplaces, social networks and search engines, we identify and remove counterfeit products and pirated content that violate the intellectual property of brands.

Don't wait for your brand to become a target: if your business is exposed to the risks of piracy and Digital scams, it's time to act. Keep following Branddi and learn more about our Shielding marketing!