Enders Analysis warns of “industrial scale” online piracy
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Enders Analysis released a report titled “Video piracy: Big tech is clearly unwilling to address the problem” on May 30, 2025. It warns that industrial-scale theft of video content—especially live sports—is surging and poses a direct threat to broadcasters’ and streamers’ profitability .
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Scale & Impact:
Pirated streams of premium events, like major football matches, attract tens of thousands of viewers each—and many get reshared via social media—making the total piracy volume reach “industrial scale theft” that costs the industry billions globally .
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Big Tech’s Role:
Report criticizes Amazon for selling inexpensive Fire TV devices that facilitate piracy. It accuses Google and Microsoft of neglecting DRM upkeep: current systems (Google’s Widevine, Microsoft’s PlayReady) are “in steep decline” and no longer robust .
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Tech & Security Gaps:
Because DRM technology is outdated and big tech isn’t prioritizing improvements, piracy hardware and software—like jailbroken Fire Sticks and sideloaded apps—make it easy to access illegal streams .
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Call for Action:
The report implies tech giants must overhaul DRM architecture and work with content owners. Without firm infrastructure updates and active engagement, the piracy crisis will continue to escalate
