Advanced Television

Study: 29% of Indonesian viewers use pirate TV boxes

March 21, 2019

A study of the online content viewing behaviour of Indonesian consumers has revealed that 29 per cent of consumers use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated television and video content. These TV boxes, also known as Illicit Streaming Devices (ISDs), allow users to access hundreds of pirated television channels and video-on-demand content. Such illicit streaming devices often come pre-loaded with pirated applications which are either free or charge low subscription fees, which then provide ‘plug-and-play’ access to pirated content. The survey found that IndoXXI Lite, LiveStream TV and LK 21 Reborn are among the most popular pirate applications amongst Indonesian consumers. More alarmingly, 55 per cent of respondents admitted to using free streaming services, with the IndoXXI Lite app (29 per cent) in particular representing a larger userbase than all local legitimate online video platforms combined (19 per cent).

The survey, commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association’s (AVIA) Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), and conducted by YouGov, also highlights the detrimental effects of streaming piracy on legitimate subscription video services. Of the 29 per cent of consumers who purchased an illicit streaming device for free streaming, two in three (66 per cent) stated that they cancelled all or some of their subscription to legal pay TV services. Specifically, 33 per cent asserted that they cancelled their subscriptions to an Indonesian-based online video service as a direct consequence of owning an ISD. International subscription services, which include pan-Asia online offerings, were also impacted – more than one in three (31 per cent) Indonesian users abandoned subscriptions in favour of ISD purchases.

The surge in popularity of ISDs is not unique to Indonesia. Similar YouGov consumer research has been undertaken in other South East Asian countries where high levels of ISD usage was also found: 15 per cent of Singapore consumers, 20 per cent of Hong Kong consumers, 25 per cent of Malaysian consumers, 28 per cent of Filipino consumers and 34 per cent consumers of Taiwanese consumers use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated television and video content.

“The illicit streaming device (ISD) ecosystem is impacting all businesses involved in the production and distribution of legitimate content”, said Louis Boswell, CEO of AVIA. “ISD piracy is also organised crime, pure and simple, with crime syndicates making substantial illicit revenues from the provision of illegally re-transmitted TV channels and the sale of such ISDs. Consumers who buy ISDs are not only funding crime groups, but also wasting their money when the channels stop working. ISDs do not come with a ‘service guarantee’, no matter what the seller may claim.”

Roy Soetanto, Chief Marketing Officer of CATCHPLAY Indonesia stated: “Putting a stop to piracy will need the cooperation of the whole industry. It has been a pleasure for CATCHPLAY to have the opportunity to work with AVIA and be a part of this important initiative to support the anti-piracy movement”.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Piracy, Research, STB