Piracy rife among Indonesia’s online video viewers
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Rebecca Hawkes
| 21 March 2019

TV set-top boxes which can stream pirated video content are used by 29% of online viewers in Indonesia, according to a new YouGov survey.

Commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), found that the IndoXXI Lite, LiveStream TV and LK 21 Reborn are the most popular illicit streaming devices (ISDs) in Indonesia.

Free pirated streaming services were used by 55% of the survey’s respondents, with the IndoXXI Lite app (29%) in particular representing a larger userbase than all local legitimate online video platforms combined (19%).

Of the 29% of consumers who purchased an ISD for free streaming, two in three (66%) had cancelled all or part of their subscription to legal pay-TV services. The cancellation by 33% to an Indonesian-based online video service was cited as being a direct consequence of owning an ISD. International subscription services, which include pan-Asia online offerings, were also impacted. The survey found more than one in three (31%) Indonesian users abandoned subscriptions in favour of ISD purchases.

The problem is not confined to Indonesia. Similar AVIA surveys across south east Asia found: 15% of Singapore consumers, consumers, 20% of Hong Kong consumers, 25% of Malaysian consumers, 28% of Filipino consumers and 34% consumers of Taiwanese consumers use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated TV and video content.

“The illicit streaming device (ISD) ecosystem is impacting all businesses involved in the production and distribution of legitimate content”, said Louis Boswell, CEO of AVIA.

“ISD piracy is also organised crime, pure and simple, with crime syndicates making substantial illicit revenues from the provision of illegally re-transmitted TV channels and the sale of such ISDs. Consumers who buy ISDs are not only funding crime groups, but also wasting their money when the channels stop working. ISDs do not come with a ‘service guarantee’, no matter what the seller may claim.”

Roy Soetanto, chief marketing officer of Catchplay Indonesia said: “Putting a stop to piracy will need the cooperation of the whole industry. It has been a pleasure for Catchplay to have the opportunity to work with AVIA and be a part of this important initiative to support the anti-piracy movement”.