The new blocking device for sites that illegally broadcast sports competitions has had notable effects, halving their audience, but Internet users find parades that require “increased vigilance”, according to a study by Arcom published Tuesday.
Between January (date of entry into force of this mechanism) and September, 835 of these sites were blocked, indicated the regulator of the audio-visual one, according to which it is football which is especially pirated. In addition, between January and June 2022, “the overall illicit sports audience has halved (49%)” thanks to these blocking measures, which are part of Arcom’s new prerogatives. Thus, the audience of these illicit sites represented 1.7 million Internet users on average per month in the first half of 2022, whereas it was twice as high (3.2 million) the year before in the same period.
“The illicit sports audience, particularly volatile, must however be analyzed with caution”, however takes care to specify Arcom, according to which “it remains very dependent on sports news”. The year 2021 had thus been particularly busy, in particular with the Euro football.
For this study, Arcom relied on data from Médiamétrie, relating either to the audience of the sites, or to surveys of a sample of more than 2,000 Internet users. These data show that 40% of Internet users using this type of site have experienced at least one blockage.
Practices that continue despite the blockages
Faced with these measures, 37% of these “blocked” Internet users stopped using this illicit offer and 15% resorted to a legal offer. On the other hand, 46% turned to other illicit services. Finally, 12% used a technical circumvention mode to avoid these blockages (including the use of a VPN).
“The protection of sports content therefore calls for increased vigilance,” underlines Arcom. In particular, it recommends concluding agreements to strengthen cooperation between Internet access providers and holders of sports rights and to improve technological solutions for blocking.
The rights holders of the competitions can seize the judge to request the blocking of a site. Also seized by the beneficiaries, Arcom can ask Internet access providers to block illegal services that appeared after the court decision and which broadcast the same competitions without authorization.