Philippines Partners with Motion Picture Association (MPA) To Develop Piracy Monitoring System
20 April 2022
The Philippines has teamed with the Motion Picture Association (MPA), which has agreed to assist in developing an effective pirate monitoring system and a rolling site-blocking regime that would prevent piracy sites from being accessed. IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said, "This newest partnership with MPA elevates IPOPHL's whole-of-society efforts in fostering a digital environment that respects intellectual property (IP) rights." Barba also lamented how the pandemic had encouraged digital piracy worldwide, costing genuine content companies billions of dollars in lost income. "Unfortunately, some individuals would prefer to view illegal content because it is free than pay for genuine content," Barba said, "failing to comprehend how this might harm our economy and innovation as a nation in the long term."
Jan van Voorn, MPA's Executive Vice President of Global Content Protection, bemoaned that piracy "has remained popular in the Philippines and continues to have negative repercussions on the country," notably on job development and the economy.
"In key markets like the Philippines, a site-blocking framework that incorporates transparency and due process can be incredibly effective at reducing levels of online piracy," said van Voorn, who is also the head of the MPA's global anti-piracy coalition, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).
Beyond site blocking and pirate monitoring, the partnership allows for the authorized sharing of information that will help the Philippines combat digital piracy.
The MPA also promises to provide training on different anti-piracy tactics. The group will also offer practical support to IPOPHL and other relevant agencies in implementing site-blocking and takedown in a timely and effective manner.
"By collaborating, we would be able to eliminate digital piracy in the Philippines effectively." This would ensure that our creative economy actors receive the full compensation they deserve and may continue to generate new Philippine innovations for our society, culture, economy, and the whole globe," Barba said.
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