In today’s highly mediated environment, digital media has become the vehicle of culture – especially the culture of young people. TikTok trends, dances, news stories, series, influencer videos, music clips, #storytime… you name it, if young people are into it, it’s being shared via digital video.
However, it’s useful to remember that the digital channels that carry this content are vulnerable to theft by content pirates, who steal and appropriate content for their own gain, without compensating the original creators.
A threat to the creative economy
Content piracy happens every time someone’s content is used without their permission. Content piracy comes with the risk of malware, viruses, identity theft, fraud and exposure to inappropriate content. But its most insidious threat is its impact on the creative economy.
That creator economy is now enormous. A recent Forbes report calls it “a $250bn global force”. And young people – creators, influencers, podcasters, show hosts, writers, presenters, actors and producers – are its main drivers.
With young people in the forefront of culture, they must also play a role in protecting the industry that supports it.
As a young person, you live the culture. You see yourself reflected in the media that expresses it. You are a creator, making the very content that drives culture. If you want to keep it that way, you need to see yourself as a culture warrior, a fighter in the war against content piracy.
For culture to remain in the hands of the creators, they need to be able to build careers. They need to know that they will be fairly paid and compensated for the work they do. That applies to influencers, podcasters, TV producers, singers, actors and screenwriters.
The film industry too, relies on its creators being fairly paid. Pan-African industry training institution the MultiChoice Talent Factory has produced hundreds of young graduates, ready to produce relevant, topical content so that African audiences might see themselves in the films they watch.
Content piracy threatens to destroy their careers and rob them of a future where they can shape Africa’s youth culture.
Filmmakers from the MTF programme, such as Tanzanian producer Everbright Everready Nkya, Angolan director Nazaré Pedro Gaspar and Nigerian producer Isaac Effiong are all changing the world’s understanding of Africa.
“With our stories, languages, and cultures, we have the potential to reshape how the world views Africa,” says Effiong. Content piracy threatens that legacy.
A call to arms
It is therefore the responsibility of everyone who loves the culture, to also protect it. Why not commit yourself to protecting youth culture?
Promise yourself that you will identify fake, pirated content; then report it and avoid using it. Pirated content robs creators and only benefits the criminal syndicates built around the theft of intellectual property. As a creator and a consumer, it’s the right thing to do.
Be part of the youth movement against piracy; be a champion of creativity! Help young people express themselves as part of a growing, sustainable industry. It’s an investment in a vibrant future where talented young Africans can tell their own stories.
If you see yourself as a future filmmaker, music producer or series director, you need to start work today to ensure that the industry is fair and authentic.
Content piracy robs African creatives of their livelihoods and leads to their output being replaced by generic international content. If you want to see yourself, protect yourself. Ensure your content is legit. Protect the stories, music and art that reflects our authentic youth culture.
Here’s how to identify, avoid, and report pirated content, and to actively support legitimate platforms.
- Choose legitimate content platforms.
- Use official apps to stream content.
- Pay the subscription fees that support African creatives.
- Support organisations fighting content piracy. The Partners Against Piracy (PAP) campaign provides the tools and channels to report piracy.
