Piracy
Also known as:
- digital piracy
- online piracy
- copyright infringement
- illegal downloads
What is Risk ?
Digital risk factors associated with their interests and activities
Piracy is a form of copyright infringement. Copyright protects work and stops people using it without permission. Piracy happens when someone uses or shares copyrighted material without permission. This could involve:
- streaming films and TV through an app or device
- downloading software or video games from a file-sharing site
- sharing streaming links on social media or with friends
Copyright can expire, and there are some exceptions to copyright law, like non-commercial research or use in study.
In the UK, copyright infringement is a criminal offence. These offences can also be filed in civil court.
Where this can happen
Risks and motivations
Risks
Loss of money
Piracy impacts people who legally create content. Illegally spreading copyrighted content means the original creator can lose money. This can also be stressful and upsetting for the original creator.
Inappropriate or harmful content
Illegal file-sharing and streaming sites can be unmoderated or have no age-verification measures. This means someone might view content which is inappropriate and potentially upsetting. For example, 18+ content, pornography and violence.
Breaking the law
Certain acts of piracy or copyright infringement are crimes. Being found guilty of these offences can have several consequences, like getting a criminal record, fines, or being sent to prison.
Malware and viruses
Malware and computer viruses are pieces of software. This software is often used to slow down a user’s device, steal personal information, or damage files. Pirated content can increase the risk of malware damaging devices or allowing people to access personal information.
A harmful file could be advertised as something like a film. It can be hard to know exactly what the file contains until it has been downloaded and opened on a device.
Motivations
Someone might access pirated content or illegal streams because:
- it gives them access to a wider range of content
- it can save them money
- they want to access unreleased or exclusive content
- they want to pass content off as their own
- it is normalised in their online community
- they do not understand the laws and consequences of copyright
What you can do
Talking with someone could be one way to limit the likelihood or impact of certain risks.
Discussion could involve:
- reasons for accessing pirated content or illegal streams
- the laws around copyright and piracy
- the risk of malware or computer viruses
- how piracy negatively impacts creators
- ways to access content legally
Support
A child or young person’s recovery will depend on the kind of harm they have encountered when using a VPN. For example, if a young person has accessed content which has upset or frightened them, they may need specialist, emotional support.
If they have experienced harms relating to hacking or malware you could help them seek technical advice or perform practical steps, like running antivirus software or resetting passwords.
Recovery can also involve minimising the chances of future risk and harm. One way to do this might be to explore technology like VPNs with a child or young person’s parent or carer.
Read more about piracy
Share your experience of piracy
You can tell us about:
- other terms you might have heard
- conversations you’ve had with young people
- a related platform or app
- another related risk or harm