Amid what is perceived to be an aggravating factor to economic and creative growth, consumer advocacy group CitizenWatch is pushing the government to tighten its rules against online piracy.
Philippine CitizenWatch Co-convenor Atty. Tim Abejo blames online piracy for causing many Filipinos to lose their jobs, even before the health crisis hit.
Additionally, Abejo also claims that due to online piracy, many enterprises are reluctant to invest in the country’s creative industry, highlighting how it is killing a “huge economic potential and the genuine spirit of creativity and innovation among our people.”
See also: Complaints about counterfeiting, piracy reached an all-time high in 2021
A study by Media Partners Asia in 2020, established that the illicit distribution of software is a cause of a loss of potential revenue to relevant professions at about roughly Php1 billion.
Meanwhile, the Philippines also ranked third among Southeast Asian countries when it comes to piracy on subscription-based video streaming content.
The consumer advocacy group also calls for the amendment of the Intellectual Property Code to empower both the Intellectual Property Office and the National Telecommunications Commission in addressing the issue.
Source: Inquirer
Organization representing software companies urges country to crack down on privacy and spins it as a benefit for everyone. Is it really a benefit to everyone and what kind of punishment are we talking about?