Conferences
The Association organizes and actively attends conferences on IP protection and fight against piracy. These include, inter alia, the following:
On May 27-28, 2024, the National Conference of Electronic Communication Operators took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Sopot. This was the largest industry event in the country, organized by the Polish Chamber of Electronic Communication and the Polish Foundation for the Support of Electronic Communication Development (PIKSEL), in collaboration with the Local Television Fund Foundation.
Patrycja Gołos (President of PIKSEL) and Teresa Wierzbowska discussed the challenges related to internet royalties. The main issues identified included the lack of appropriate legal regulations and the uneven distribution of funds between domestic and foreign creators. A possible solution could be the establishment of a dedicated organization for the redistribution of funds and dialogue with operators. Additionally, there is a need to define maximum monetary thresholds for content sharing and to increase royalties for local artists. The discussions highlighted the significant importance of dialogue and cooperation in creating stable and predictable conditions for the Polish creative market.
More information: https://www.pike.org.pl/2024/06/06/podsumowanie-ogolnopolskiej-konferencji-operatorow-komunikacji-elektronicznej/
From May 27-29, 2024, the VI Scientific Conference titled "21st Century Cybercrime" was held at the Naval Academy of the Heroes of Westerplatte in Gdynia. The event brought together experts in cybersecurity, law, and technology to discuss the latest challenges and solutions in the field of cybercrime.
Speakers and Topics
Teresa Wierzbowska, President of the Sygnał Association, delivered a presentation on web blocking, dynamic blocking, and live blocking. She discussed regulatory and systemic changes in Europe concerning the immediate blocking of access to illegal content. Wierzbowska emphasized the importance of rapid response to threats related to illegal online content, highlighting the need for international cooperation.
Luiza Piskorek, a representative of the Media Law Office, focused on the legal aspects and experiences of other European countries regarding site blocking mechanisms. Piskorek analyzed the effectiveness of various legal approaches in combating online piracy, sharing examples and insights from other European countries.
Piotr Wójtów, a member of the Sygnał Association, reviewed the most interesting implementations in streaming and sharing over the past year. His presentation included an overview of the latest trends and innovations in the field of content streaming and sharing, highlighting successful cases of technological and legal solutions.
The conference was under the patronage of key institutions in the field of cybersecurity and defense, including the General Police Headquarters and the Cyber Defense Force Command.
More information: https://ptxxi.amw.gdynia.pl/
We feel honored to have been invited to participate in the conference "Stepping up the fight against online piracy of sport and other live events," organized by the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) on October 9-10 in Alicante. The Sygnał Association was represented at the conference by its President, Teresa Wierzbowska.
This event was an opportunity to outline the characteristics of the Polish market, describe the unique market and self-regulatory projects we have been implementing for years, and closely examine how other European countries are effectively dealing with TV broadcast piracy.
More and more European countries are introducing mechanisms that effectively block illegal broadcasts and premium content offered without authorization. We are hopeful that in Poland, in cooperation with key stakeholders—public administration, rights holders, and intermediaries—we will develop a solution that, like our self-regulatory projects, can serve as an example for other member states.
More information: https://www.euipo.europa.eu/pl/news/observatory/conference-on-combating-online-piracy-of-sport-and-other-live-events-euipo-9-10-october-2023
"Implementing a mechanism for quickly blocking sports broadcasts on pirate sites in Poland is a necessity," argued Teresa Wierzbowska and Karolina Makowska, representatives of the Sygnał Association, at the 50th International PIKE Conference and Exhibition in Łódź.
"Web blocking, dynamic blocking, and live blocking are already being used in Western European countries. The removal of illegal sports broadcasts and premium content within 30 minutes is also a subject of discussion at the European Commission level. For services that offer illegal sports content, over 90% of the intermediaries used are outside Polish jurisdiction. The multi-layered concealment of actual data leads to prolonged and costly proceedings, and the current legal solutions have very limited effectiveness," said Teresa Wierzbowska, President of Sygnał.
Karolina Makowska, a board member of Sygnał, highlighted the financial consequences of the lack of a blocking mechanism: "Considering that administrators of Polish pirate sites often register their activities under fictitious foreign entities, with domain and hosting located halfway across the globe, such solutions are necessary. Poland cannot lag behind, as the current situation generates millions in losses for the creative market and the sports industry," she justified.
The Jan Grodek State University in Sanok was the venue for the 14th conference highlighting the dangers associated with the use of modern technologies. The training conference, held on September 7-8, 2023, was organized by the Institute of Social Sciences at the Sanok university in collaboration with the Provincial Police Headquarters in Rzeszów. The main theme of the conference was: "Combating Crime Related to Internet Access. Procedural Rules Related to Securing and Analyzing Evidence in Internet Cases."
The conference was intended for officers of all uniformed services who, as part of their daily duties, combat the broadly understood phenomenon of cybercrime. This time in Sanok, the participants included over 160 police officers from the Podkarpackie garrison, Border Guard officers not only from the Bieszczady Border Guard Department but also from other departments across the country, as well as representatives of the National Revenue Administration from across the country, including the West Pomeranian Customs and Tax Office in Szczecin, forensic computer science experts, and independent experts in this field. Representatives from the court and the prosecutor's office were also present.
The Sygnał Association was represented by Zbigniew Taraś.
April 26 is International Intellectual Property Day. On this occasion, ICC Poland – the Polish National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, and CANAL+ Poland, in cooperation with the Sygnał Association, organized an international meeting in Warsaw on interindustry cooperation in the field of intellectual property protection.
Speakers and panelists from organizations such as the Premier League, Ekstraklasa, UPC, T-Mobile, Motion Picture Association, DWF Poland, Canal+, and Anti Piracy Protection discussed leading methods for protecting audiovisual content, focusing mainly on blocking pirate websites. Dozens of countries worldwide, including half of Europe, have been using this mechanism for years as a key method for combating the illegal circulation of content on the internet.
During the meeting, experiences from several countries with different legal and technical models were presented. According to MPA data, 39 countries worldwide are successfully using site blocking to combat piracy.
In the past year, the discussion on live-blocking—immediate blocking of illegal live broadcasts, mainly sports broadcasts—has also intensified. As the European Commission begins to debate this topic, eyes across Europe are turning to Italy. The Italians, who love football, are not waiting for guidelines for member countries and are already implementing the principle of responding to illegal broadcasts within 30 minutes.
What is the reality in Poland? We still do not have notice-and-staydown mechanisms that permanently prevent access to selected illegal content or tools for efficiently blocking entire pirate sites at the DNS level. However, we have developed other self-regulatory mechanisms unique in Europe, such as "follow the money." Teresa Wierzbowska, President of Sygnał, spoke about blocking payments on such services and the professionalization of monitoring mechanisms for illegal content circulation.
During the panel discussion, participants concluded that, at present, the best solution in Poland would be to expand the list of blocked gambling sites to include a list of pirate sites. A joint appeal to the Polish authorities is planned to take action in this direction to implement such an idea.
The Jan Grodek State University in Sanok hosted the 13th conference highlighting the dangers associated with the use of modern technologies. The training conference, held on September 8-9, 2022, was organized by the Institute of Social Sciences at the Sanok university in collaboration with the Provincial Police Headquarters in Rzeszów. The main theme of the conference was: Combating Crime Related to Internet Access. Procedural Rules Related to Securing and Analyzing Evidence in Internet Cases.
The conference was intended for officers of all uniformed services who, as part of their daily duties, combat the broadly understood phenomenon of cybercrime. This time in Sanok, the participants included over 140 police officers from the Podkarpackie garrison, Border Guard officers from the Bieszczady Border Guard Department, as well as representatives of the Tax Administration Chamber in Rzeszów, the Podkarpackie Customs and Tax Office in Przemyśl, the West Pomeranian Customs and Tax Office in Szczecin, Tax Administration Chambers from across the country, forensic computer science experts, and independent experts in this field. Representatives from the court and the prosecutor's office were also present.
The Sygnał Association was represented by Jakub Kupniewski and Zbigniew Taraś, whose presentation topic was The Theft of TV Content on the Internet.
How much and what kind of pirated video content did Internet users consume during the pandemic? How does damage repair work in practice in sharing and streaming cases? Does cutting pirate services off from funding sources effectively shut down their operations? These questions were addressed by representatives of the Sygnał Association during the scientific conference "21st Century Cybercrime" at the Naval Academy in Gdynia on June 15, 2022.
Teresa Wierzbowska, President of the Association, focused on the last two pandemic years, discussing research on the scale of piracy, monitoring of services, and methods to combat TV content theft. Karolina Makowska (TVN S.A.) introduced the conference participants to the "Follow the Money" campaign.
Michał Otrębski (NAGRA) spoke about white intelligence, i.e., tools for identifying intellectual property rights violations. Lawyer Tomasz Szymula (collaborating with Cyfrowy Polsat S.A.) focused on evidentiary problems in proceedings related to sharing.
Łukasz Sternowski (Cyfrowy Polsat S.A.) argued that the damage calculations made by the affected companies are increasingly being upheld in courts. He pointed out several verdicts where the awarded damages fully corresponded to the calculations provided by the rights holders. A flagship example is the verdict of the District Court in Białystok, which ordered the owner of a pirate streaming service to pay damages of PLN 48 million.
The panel discussion on the regulatory challenges of the digital market also included Paweł Lewandowski (Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture), Patrycja Golos (VP Corporate Affairs in the CEE region, UPC), Jacek Łęgiewicz (Public Affairs Director, Samsung), and Marcin Olender (Head of CEE Public Policy Poland, Google). The debate was moderated by Michał Kanownik (President of the Digital Poland Association).
During the debate on the implementation of the audiovisual directive, the most advantageous model for implementing the regulations was discussed, which involves building on proven, already functioning market self-regulations. The model should be expanded to include new entities that will be covered by the Broadcasting Act, such as video content distribution platforms. In the discussion on the copyright directive, it was pointed out that the lack of mechanisms to better protect content results in huge costs for the affected entities.
The discussion also highlighted the need to consider the interests of Polish entrepreneurs and the Polish market when implementing the entire package of new regulations, in order to unify competitive conditions between local players and international entities that sometimes evade national requirements.
The forum was organized by KIGEiT – the National Chamber of Commerce for Electronics and Telecommunications.
W dniach 10-11 października br. w Ossie pod Rawą Mazowiecką odbyła się konferencja „Przeciwdziałanie kradzieży sygnału telewizyjnego”, współorganizowana przez Sygnał oraz Komendę Główną Policji.
On October 10-11, 2019, the conference "Combating Television Signal Theft" took place in Ossa near Rawa Mazowiecka, co-organized by the Sygnał Association and the National Police Headquarters.
During the second edition of the conference, over a hundred police officers, prosecutors, and representatives from the media industry gathered to discuss the scale of piracy and methods of combating it. On the first day, speakers highlighted the financial aspects of crimes against intellectual property. Teresa Wierzbowska, President of Sygnał, presented national and European initiatives related to the "Follow the Money" strategy. Adrian Wojtaszek (TVP), a member of the Sygnał board, discussed advertising on pirate sites, noting that in recent months, the top 10 advertisers generated 79% of video ad placements on copyright-infringing services.
Piotr Wójtów from CANAL+ spoke about monitoring streaming services, reporting violations online, and informing law enforcement about crimes related to piracy. Other presentations included topics such as cloud data services (Marcin Przasnyski from Anti-Piracy Protection), Smart IPTV (Łukasz Sternowski from Cyfrowy Polsat, a Sygnał board member), trademarks (Barbara Załęcka from Discovery TVN), and sharing (Dawid Krośniewski from Cyfrowy Polsat). On the second day, prosecutor Agnieszka Gryszczyńska from the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, who specializes in combating cybercrime, discussed selected aspects of money laundering.
A representative from the Economic Crime Division of the Kraków County Police described how they apprehended a sharing provider used by approximately 1,600 subscribers. This unit received a prestigious honor this year – the Golden Badge– in recognition of their exceptional commitment and effective fight against television piracy.
The theft of TV signals and intellectual property on the Internet was the topic of the 7th edition of the conference co-organized on April 10-11, 2019, by the Sygnał Association at the Police School in Piła.
The conference was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Supervision Authority, the National Police Headquarters, local police units, police schools, the prosecutor's office, the Sygnał Association, and the Anti-Piracy Coalition.
The agenda covered issues related to sharing, Smart IPTV, payment methods in pirate TV services, and case law concerning intellectual property. A representative from the Ministry of Finance discussed data collection on entities selling access codes on e-commerce platforms. Members of Sygnał, along with police officers from the Economic Crime Division of the Kraków County Police and the Cybercrime Division of the Poznań Voivodeship Police Headquarters, summarized successful joint efforts in combating TV signal theft.
"Internet sharing, or the illegal distribution of rights from an active subscriber card, remains a significant issue for the development of paid channel services and satellite platforms. The case in Turku, which involved about 600 subscribers, confirms this. On behalf of all members of the Association, I thank the police for their work in fighting against sharing," said Zbigniew Taraś, a board member of Sygnał.
35 international and local organizations, institutions, and companies have declared their willingness to cooperate in the fight against online piracy in response to the globalization of online crime. This commitment to mutual support and experience exchange is outlined in the Warsaw Declaration, developed during the International Content Protection Summit in Warsaw.
The Warsaw Declaration emphasizes the importance of international collaboration among organizations, institutions, government bodies, and companies in combating online piracy. It expresses the desire to share best practices and experiences to create and promote effective methods for tackling online piracy, including legal actions, a "follow the money" approach, and various educational initiatives.
The outline of the Declaration was created during the International Content Protection Summit, held on October 18-19. Participants discussed the specifics and scale of piracy in different countries and current methods of countering this phenomenon. They shared experiences, reviewed examples of international actions, and addressed legal and operational aspects of initiatives, including collaboration with the advertising market and payment intermediaries to curb illegal content circulation, blocking illegal websites, and raising awareness about intellectual property rights violations.
"Piracy is a highly profitable business with a complicated network of connections and increasing evidence of links to other types of crime. Alarming data regarding the scale of theft and illegal circulation of audiovisual content motivates action. Organizing the first international meeting in our region on methods to combat piracy aimed to demonstrate the value of exchanging experiences and the necessity of cooperation among organizations, institutions, government agencies, and businesses from various countries," comments Teresa Wierzbowska, President of the Sygnał Association.
The ICPS was attended by 120 representatives from organizations, institutions, and companies from across Europe and other continents, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Latvia, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
The conference titled "Fighting Against TV Signal Theft and Cooperation with Telecommunications Operators" was organized by Sygnał for 120 representatives from the prosecution and law enforcement agencies. The event, held from September 25-27, included participation from police officers from the Departments for Combating Economic Crime and Cybercrime.
During the conference, the economic impact of piracy was discussed, along with the technological and business models used by illegal online video services. Speakers focused on the scale of this issue, efforts to combat piracy, international cooperation in this field, and the implementation of the "follow the money" strategy.
The conference was organized in partnership with the National Police Headquarters.
Representatives from Sygnał were invited to participate in a conference organized by Interpol and the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) in Kyiv from March 13-15, 2018, focused on intellectual property abuses and strengthening copyright protection efforts. The event brought together representatives from organizations and institutions from Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine.
Sygnał's representatives, Agnieszka Rauch from TVN and Michał Otrębski from Cyfrowy Polsat, presented the scale of piracy in Poland and shared effective measures taken to combat audiovisual content theft. They discussed the Association's experiences in training law enforcement representatives, conducting educational initiatives such as conferences and workshops, and fostering international cooperation. Notable topics included the implementation of the "follow the money" strategy, involving the development of methods and tools to combat piracy, as well as collaboration with advertising agencies and payment intermediaries. They also addressed the issue of piracy on social media and initiatives aimed at blocking illegal streams on YouTube.
"International cooperation is crucial in the fight against piracy. The exchange of experiences, learning about best practices implemented in other countries, and analyzing effective procedures and legal solutions enhance our ability to protect intellectual property and counteract the illegal distribution of content," commented Teresa Wierzbowska, President of the Sygnał Association.
On October 18-19, 2017, a conference organized under the TelSec initiative took place in Serock, aimed at creating a comprehensive discussion platform and a unique dialogue formula in the area of national security. The initiative involves representatives from government administration, the judiciary, police and special services, academia, non-governmental organizations, and telecommunications entrepreneurs.
Conference Topics:
- Practical aspects of telecommunications operators' obligations regarding national security and future scenarios.
- Implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
- Collaboration among operators to protect revenue.
- Cybersecurity.
Notable speakers included Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of Orange Polska S.A.; Piotr Muszyński, Vice President of Orange Polska S.A.; Thomas Lips, Board Member and Director of Technology and Innovation at T-Mobile Polska; Jacek Niewęgłowski, CEO of P4; Wojciech Pytel, Supervisory Board Member of Polkomtel Sp. z o.o.; Anna Streżyńska, Minister of Digital Affairs; and Teresa Wierzbowska, President of the Sygnał Association.
TelSec was organized by Orange with the participation of Polkomtel, P4, and T-Mobile Polska. The event was sponsored by the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Polish Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
Anna Słoboda, Vice President of the Sygnał Association, participated in a debate on online piracy during the Kyiv Media Week international conference held from September 18-22, 2017. The topics addressed during the conference included collaboration with law enforcement, the "follow the money" approach, and the creation of blacklists.
One day of the conference was dedicated to intellectual property protection and combating video content theft, a critical issue for the Ukrainian market where piracy is widespread. Initiatives aimed at fighting illegal content distribution are just emerging, and protecting rights by their owners is not yet standard practice. "The implementation of notice and takedown procedures is still in progress, and the Clear Sky initiative, which involves four Ukrainian media groups, aims to raise awareness among local businesses about the importance of combating piracy and protecting their own content," commented Anna Słoboda. "It is crucial to share experiences and collaboratively create a front against piracy," she added.
Słoboda discussed the challenges faced by the Polish market as well as successes in the fight against piracy. She highlighted the experiences of the Sygnał Association in working with police, actions taken under the "follow the money" strategy, and educational initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the scale of piracy and its economic and social consequences.
The conference attracted media industry representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and the Baltic countries. For more information, visit: http://legalcontentua.com/en/archives/2117
The scale of illegal online services offering video content in Poland is not decreasing but rather increasing. What losses does this bring to businesses, creators, and the State Treasury? These questions were discussed at the congress "Intellectual Property Protection on the Internet: Poland's Strength or Weakness?" held on December 8, 2014, in Warsaw.
Organized by the Sygnał Association, the meeting served as a platform for exchanging experiences among representatives of institutions, companies, and organizations. Participants included broadcasters and content creators, pay-TV operators, lawyers, law enforcement officials, and international experts in the fight against video content piracy.
Launch of the Report "Development Prospects for Online Video in Poland"
During the presentation of the report "Development Prospects for Online Video in Poland," Paweł Kolenda, Director of Research at IAB Poland, highlighted the growing number of internet users (nearly 22 million, an increase of 4% from the previous year) and video content users (17 million). Notably, the number of individuals streaming content has risen by 40% over the past year, with the volume of streamed content among mobile users doubling.
Pirate services have adopted two operational models: streaming (either paid or free for users) and hosting. The number of users accessing these services totals 18.2 million monthly, with a 20% increase in streaming users compared to the previous year, while hosting usage has declined. Overall, illegal content distribution has grown by 8% within the year.
According to PwC's analysis, 7.5 million Poles access services providing illegal access to video content (30% of internet users), while 8-9 million users engage with services that illegally offer video content alongside other offerings. Of pirate services, 27% adopted a paid model, 50% used an advertising model, and 18% employed other methods. Kolenda noted that half of internet users are unaware that they are using illegal services.
Panel: "Intellectual Property Theft: Business and Investment Perspective"
This panel focused on the threats and scale of intellectual property theft and its economic consequences for the audiovisual market. Panelists included Marcin Animucki, Vice President of Ekstraklasa SA; Maciej Maciejowski, Board Member at TVN; Agnieszka Odorowicz, Director of the Polish Film Institute; Maciej Stec, Board Member at Cyfrowy Polsat; and Julien Verley, President of the nc+ platform. The discussion was moderated by Jakub Kurasz, PR Director at PwC.
Maciej Stec emphasized the substantial losses caused by pirate services, stating, "700 million PLN in annual losses is alarming. If piracy continues to grow, what will happen to the legal market? Who will find it worthwhile to produce content?"
Julien Verley noted that the scale of piracy in Poland is greater than in many other European countries. "The actions taken are insufficient. I don't believe that raising awareness among internet users will have much impact, as most people downloading illegal files know what they are doing," he stated.
Agnieszka Odorowicz remarked that "Piracy is death for cinema. A film will not have a substantial audience if it is immediately available online. Creators and producers lose out while a con artist sitting in Cyprus profits."
Stec pointed out that significant sporting events attract three times more viewers on illegal services than on legal ones. However, proactive measures and collaboration with law enforcement have shown that effective action can yield results.
Marcin Animucki discussed the borderless nature of piracy. "It is important to highlight that awareness of the issue is increasing, and companies specializing in combating piracy are becoming more effective," he noted.
Panelists agreed that the primary focus should be on prosecuting the owners of illegal services who have turned piracy into a revenue stream. "We need to collaborate. Search engines, payment intermediaries, and advertisers should all join the fight. Significant changes in Polish law, which currently lags behind reality, are necessary. Treating content piracy as theft of property is fundamental," they reiterated.
Panel: "The Role of Law in Effective Protection of Intellectual Property: An International Perspective"
This panel addressed cross-border piracy, international cooperation, legal situations, and the experiences of other countries. Participants included Wojciech Dziomdziora, Counsel at Domański Zakrzewski Palinka; Anna Kobylańska, Counsel at PwC Legal; Dominik Skoczek, Representative of SFP, ZAPA; and Benjamin Vollrath, Senior Legal Counsel at Turner Broadcasting System. The panel was moderated by Marek Szydłowski, Legal Department Director at TVN Group.
Anna Kobylańska discussed various anti-piracy approaches in different countries. "It is hardest to reach the owners of pirate services, as they proliferate rapidly," she said. In some countries, such as the USA, the "notice and take down" procedure works effectively—alerting service owners to legal violations and obliging them to remove infringing content. Other measures include blocking payments, preventing advertising on pirate sites, and compelling users to cease illegal downloading. "Punishment must be inevitable and enforceable to be effective. However, the best solution would be to cut off pirates from their funding sources," she commented.
Benjamin Vollrath highlighted Germany's experiences in combating piracy. "In Germany, legal solutions work alongside education by showcasing real-life examples. Our laws facilitate anti-piracy efforts; for instance, peer-to-peer piracy is treated as a criminal offense, and courts are stringent. Hosting platforms are also required to block pirated content. Like in Poland, obtaining IP addresses in streaming cases is challenging. The best results come from cooperating with payment intermediaries."
When asked about the current status of key legislation against piracy, Wojciech Dziomdziora remarked, "Work has been suspended; the next move is up to the Minister of Digital Affairs."
During the discussion on provisions regarding fair use, the dominant misconception that streaming services are legal under fair use was highlighted. In reality, this constitutes a violation of the law.
Dominik Skoczek emphasized that the directive on electronic commerce from 2000 (supporting the growth of internet companies) and the directive on copyright and the information society (protecting creators' rights in the digital realm) should also aid in the fight against piracy. "Poland has implemented these directives but with many exceptions," he noted. He also reported that SFP and Kreatywna Polska are working on solutions aimed not only at direct infringers but also at intermediaries profiting from piracy. This approach has been adopted in several EU countries and has shown good results.
Wojciech Dziomdziora suggested that one potential solution could be utilizing the unfair competition law. "This avenue has been unexplored so far, yet illegal services violate consumer rights," he asserted. Commenting on the prolonged proceedings, he suggested that specialization within courts could be one solution.
"Only a combination of regulatory and educational measures can yield results. Collaboration among all parties is essential," concluded Dominik Skoczek.
Panel: "Technical Methods for Protecting Intellectual Property on the Internet: Experiences from EU Countries"
This panel discussed effective methods for monitoring the internet, preventing theft, and detecting piracy. Participants included Eric Bärenzung, Senior Cyber Security Consultant at Nagra (Switzerland); Jarosław Kordalewski, Vice President of Technology and IT at nc+; Marcin Przasnyski, owner of Anti Piracy Protection; Piotr Smaga, Manager at MTS Friend Limited, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Covent Garden (UK); and representatives from the Central Police Headquarters: Jerzy Skowyra, expert in economic crime; Marta Krakowian, specialist in economic crime; and Krzysztof Lorek, cybercrime division. The panel was moderated by Piotr Niemczyk, owner of Niemczyk and Partners consulting firm, and Jarosław Mojsiejuk, Digital Security Director at Polsat S.A.
Eric Bärenzung highlighted actions such as monitoring, systematic investigations, uncovering the black market, signal intelligence, tracking IP addresses, and forensic analysis. He emphasized the importance of legal tools and technical remedies, such as watermarking during transmissions.
Marcin Przasnyski discussed the scale of piracy, stating, "We estimate there are currently 750 pirate sites, which is significantly more than legal services. Therefore, monitoring the largest pirate sites is crucial."
Jarosław Kordalewski admitted that legal restrictions pose the greatest challenges. "Technically, everything is possible," he concluded.
Representatives from the Central Police Headquarters noted that identifying perpetrators is mostly feasible. However, they acknowledged that gathering evidence and resolving cases that span multiple countries can extend timelines.
Jarosław Mojsiejuk highlighted that new units within the police are efficient. "We have successfully trained thousands of police officers from the economic crime units and police academies. Awareness of the problem in this group is high. Thanks to effective cooperation with the police, the Kinomaniak TV site was shut down, among other successes."
Panel: "How to Effectively Combat Intellectual Property Theft?"
This panel focused on methods to combat intellectual property theft, the initiatives of entrepreneurs, and the role of government institutions in creating tools that facilitate the protection of intellectual property rights. Participants included Karol Kościński, Director of the Department of Intellectual Property and Media at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage; Dariusz Kuberski, Prosecutor at the Gdańsk Appellate Prosecutor's Office; Włodzimierz Schmidt, President of the Employers' Association of the Internet Industry IAB Poland; Teresa Wierzbowska, President of the Sygnał Association; and Bartłomiej Witucki, BSA Contracted Representative in Poland. The panel was moderated by Robert Stanilewicz from TVN 24.
Dariusz Kuberski remarked, "Currently, there are no effective legal instruments in copyright law to combat piracy." He called for a unified effort and engagement from various government departments.
Karol Kościński announced the establishment of two new working groups within the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, which will focus on analyzing case law and developing best practices.
Włodzimierz Schmidt reminded attendees of the primary sources of piracy financing and urged, "Let's take action. One effective measure we can undertake is to eliminate advertising on illegal sites and convince companies not to advertise on such platforms."
Teresa Wierzbowska noted that the situation regarding piracy is well-diagnosed. "Now, decisive action is necessary. For over a decade, Sygnał has been attempting to create a platform for collaboration. We conduct training, emphasize the need for stricter laws, and advocate for changes in the education system. We have concrete solutions. It is crucial for state authorities to become more actively involved in the fight against piracy," she stated.
During the 2014 Economic Forum in Krynica, the Sygnał Association, in collaboration with PwC, organized a discussion panel titled “How Much Does Piracy Cost? Economic and Social Impacts of Intellectual Property Theft.” Panelists discussed the economic and social consequences of intellectual property theft, the scale of the phenomenon, potential directions for change, and international experiences.
The debate featured: Roman Dmowski, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Administration and Digitization; Dominik Libicki, President of Cyfrowy Polsat; Maciej Maciejowski, Board Member at TVN; Petra Mašínová, President of Newton Media; and Julien Verley, President of NC+.
Online piracy is not a marginal problem. It is often organized activity aimed at generating financial profits at the expense of the legal market, creators, and unsuspecting consumers.
Dominik Libicki, President of Cyfrowy Polsat, pointed out the economic consequences of intellectual property theft. “Online piracy results in measurable losses for businesses. We invest huge sums in creating content. Owners of illegal services do not incur such costs because they steal it. It’s absurd,” he stated.
“Concrete actions are necessary to limit this phenomenon, especially as the scale of piracy is increasing,” emphasized Julien Verley, President of NC+.
Maciej Maciejowski, Board Member at TVN, highlighted the importance of a coherent strategy to combat piracy and the need for decisive actions by state authorities.
The panel was co-financed by funds from PISF - Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej [The Polish Film Institute]
The PIKE conference, held from May 26-28, included a panel organized by Sugnał titled "Piracy - Scale of the Phenomenon and Methods of Combat." The discussion was initiated by a presentation from Łukasz Nowicki of PwC, who presented the report "Analysis of the Impact of Media Piracy on the Polish Economy."
During the panel, participants highlighted the significant losses caused by intellectual property theft and the consequences of this practice for the economy. The need for consistent action, industry solidarity in the fight against piracy, and greater engagement from state authorities were emphasized.
The panel was moderated by Andrzej Zarębski, a media market expert. Panelists included Teresa Wierzbowska representing SYGNAŁ, Sebastian Urban from Discovery, Krzysztof Guzowski from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Mirosław Kolanowski from the Ministry of Justice, Jacek Kobierzycki from TOYA television, Mariusz Łukomski from Monolith, Maciej Maciejowski from TVN, Igor Ostrowski from the Dentons law firm, and Tomasz Parfienowicz from Viacom International Media Networks Northern Europe.
The value of GDP lost due to internet piracy of video content is approximately PLN 700 million annually, and by 2018, losses could reach up to twice the entire budget of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN). This was one of the statements made on April 16 in Warsaw during a conference dedicated to the economic effects of piracy. "A few years ago, internet piracy only affected a narrow group of users. Today, it is a widespread phenomenon, and its negative impact on the economy is becoming increasingly evident. Unlicensed access services are usually well-organized and aimed at making financial gains. The sector of such services has grown to surpass that of legal online platforms offering video content in Poland," said Piotr Baranowski, Partner at PwC.
The special guests of the conference included Wojciech Hajduk, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice; Iwona Śledzińska-Katarasińska, Chair of the Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee; Rafał Trzaskowski, Minister of Administration and Digitization; and Piotr Żuchowski, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
During the event, the report "Analysis of the Impact of Media Piracy on Economic Losses in Poland," prepared by PwC for the Sygnał Association, was premiered. Anna Kobylańska, Legal Advisor at PwC Legal, presented examples of legal solutions regarding intellectual property protection in Europe and selected countries worldwide.
The findings of the report were discussed in the panel "The Negative Impact of Piracy on the Polish Economy: Current Situation, Future Challenges, Proposed Directions for Change." The discussion included Dominik Libicki, President of Cyfrowy Polsat; Wojciech Kostrzewa, President and CEO of ITI Group; Juliusz Braun, President of TVP; Dr. Dominik Batorski, Internet Sociologist from the University of Warsaw; and Agnieszka Odorowicz, Director of the Polish Film Institute.
Scale and Consequences
According to the PwC report, one in five Poles regularly uses online services offering illegal access to video content — nearly 30% of all internet users and 94% of those seeking video content online. At the same time, most viewers consume content from both legal and illegal sources. Nearly half of respondents pay for access to video content from illegal sources. Most pirate services are financed by advertisers. Internet users spend the most time watching movies from illegal sources (13 hours per month), and the least on watching sports (3.5 hours per month).
"In Poland, the scale of piracy is significantly higher than in developed markets of Western Europe or worldwide. It is important to note that the costs of this phenomenon are felt not only by creators but also by the State Treasury and the labor market. A similar scale can be observed only in Spain and Italy. On the other hand, Germany, the UK, and Japan have relatively low piracy rates, characterized by economic stability, respect for the law, and protection of property rights," explained Prof. Witold Orłowski, chief economic advisor at PwC.
PwC estimates that the value of lost GDP due to online video piracy in 2013 was between 500 and 700 million PLN, representing 0.04% of Poland's total GDP, with the State Treasury losing between 170 and 250 million PLN directly. These losses for the Treasury are equivalent to 6-9% of the Ministry of Culture's budget or the total spending of the Ministry on theaters. Additionally, reducing the use of illegal content could potentially create an extra 6,000-6,500 jobs.
Experts believe the annual growth rate of piracy in Poland from 2013 to 2018 could range from 29% to 54%. In a moderate growth scenario, economic losses in 2018 could reach 1.8 billion PLN, while in a more pessimistic scenario, they could exceed 6.1 billion PLN, which is twice the current budget of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
"The survey results indicate that the declared reasons for using services that illegally provide content are only marginally dependent on the respondent's household income. Those who assess their financial situation as good or very good also cited lack of payment as one of the main reasons for using illegal sources," commented Piotr Baranowski, partner at PwC.
Legal Environment
Effective protection of intellectual property and combating unfair practices by providers who deliberately profit from illegal content distribution is mainly hampered by legal loopholes, far-reaching exemptions from liability for some entities, vague legal definitions, registration of foreign services, server locations outside Poland, and the dispersion of entities. Polish copyright law was created in an "analog reality" and does not provide effective protection for creators and rights holders in the "digital reality," which offers much greater opportunities for action.
"The rapidly growing virtual sphere of activity requires legal regulation that would appropriately balance and secure the legitimate interests of the various entities operating within it. Meanwhile, the law lags behind technological advancements, and existing regulations do not always allow for resolving issues arising from the digital reality, which has long since surpassed the assumptions made when designing institutions such as fair use," commented Anna Kobylańska, lawyer at PwC Legal.
Proposed Solutions
"Due to the complexity of the phenomenon, it is essential to undertake both informational actions directed at users of online services to show alternatives in the form of legal sources, as well as to tighten the regulatory system and penalize violations. The key issue is mitigating the negative impact of this phenomenon on the economy, thus solutions aimed at combating unfair service providers that hinder them from profiting financially from piracy must be implemented. This means collaborating with entities currently facilitating the financing of piratical activities, such as banks, mobile operators, or advertisers," said Piotr Baranowski, Partner at PwC.
The conference was co-financed by:
