- Ministry action reflects intensified national anti-piracy campaign, marks first-of-a-kind initiative against copyright violations in the region
The UAE Ministry of Economy (MoE) has stepped up its campaign against pay TV piracy by authorizing the disruption of internet websites which allowed users to illegally view satellite TV channels without subscription. The phenomenal growth of internet usage throughout the country has attracted several similar profiteering activities, which the Ministry intends to fully control at the early stages.
The latest MoE anti-piracy initiative, which commenced in the second week of June 2008 parallel to the Euro 2008 football championship, immediately led to the identification and disruption of 10 Korean-based internet addresses. This action marks the first of its kind in the UAE and the world against copyright violations, with even more unique strategies being planned by the Ministry.
“We received communications that illegal operators were broadcasting unsubscribed Euro 2008 matches and other programs over the internet and promptly coordinated with enforcement authorities to conduct a raid. We were able to identify 10 foreign internet links and immediately ordered the disruption of local internet connections to these addresses. We are currently investigating similar cases and are arranging the proper protocols to ensure that the identification and disruption procedures are both swift and effective,” said a source from the UAE Ministry of Economy
Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz Alshihhi, Undersecretary of the MoE, said: “Cases of pay TV piracy have been increasing in the UAE, with dishonest operators showing more confidence that they can elude the law and the efforts of authorities concerned to prevent this crime. The recent raids show the effectiveness of government-coordinated operations in tracking down and sanctioning internet-based piracy. The Ministry will continue its efforts to combat intellectual property rights (IPR) violators and sustain our commitment to applying international standards and laws to protect the economy, investments, and consumers.”
Under the pay TV anti-piracy program, the Ministry in its capacity as the appointed national authority for IPR enforcement will recommend the disruption of violating internet addresses identified via complaint letters submitted to the concerned authorities in the UAE. The concerned officials will immediately order internet service providers to block access to these sites.
In another move to fight piracy, the Ministry had recently issued orders to all national ports of entry and federal customs to confiscate illegally imported decoder boxes, which are used to acquire satellite TV signals and watch broadcasts without subscription. The government agency has also directed successful targeted raids against vendors of such illegal equipment.
Ola Khudair, Deputy CEO, Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAA), said: “Although private entities such as the AAA have been gaining ground in the regional fight against piracy, the most successful initiatives have been those involving close governmental cooperation. We hope that other Middle Eastern countries will follow the UAE’s example as embodied by the Ministry of Economy and implement their own unique and effective methods to stamp out piracy. We are confident that the sustained efforts of the private and public sectors will significantly contribute to controlling and eventually eradicating various forms of piracy. For our part, we commend the Ministry of Economy for its ongoing efforts to protect IPR and support the region’s strong stand against piracy.”
The AAA has hired a special full-time IT team to track down internet addresses that offer illegal TV viewing. The addresses are reported to the Ministry, which in turn coordinates with the TRA on the final sanction against violators. This and other AAA initiatives have proven to be effective in the UAE and are being replicated by the Alliance in other Arab countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and other GCC countries, in close coordination with the concerned local authorities.
