Premier League launches campaign to combat piracy in SG

Premier League players from clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester City, have teamed up for the purpose of raising awareness of the dangers of illegal streaming in Singapore. This is part of the League’s "Boot Out Piracy" campaign. 

The campaign is returning for a second year in Singapore and this season featured Premier League stars including Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and Leeds United’s Jack Harrison. The athletes appear in a series of videos which will be featured across broadcast and digital channels to raise awareness of the security risks of viewing Premier League football on illegal websites and devices.

The campaign will run from 3 October 2022 until 11 March 2023 and will be featured across broadcast channels, social media, websites and YouTube in Singapore, as well as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Thailand. Advertising for the campaign was developed by creative agency DDB Worldwide.

Research by industry experts shows anyone streaming illegally runs a high risk of exposing themselves to malicious malware or ransomware and increase their chances of becoming victims of cybercrimes. Fans who watch on unauthorised websites or streaming devices are also potentially be at risk of their bank accounts being hacked, identity theft or their devices being locked for ransom. Their viewing experience is also likely to be disrupted by broken links and numerous pop-up ads.

Premier League also works closely with local authorities to bring criminal action against website operators and suppliers of illicit streaming devices across the region. Furthermore, since the establishment of its Asia-Pacific office three years ago, Premier League has blocked hundreds of illegal websites in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Premier League general counsel Kevin Plumb said a minority of Premier League fans in Singapore are still putting themselves at risk of cybersecurity invasions and identity theft by streaming matches on illegal websites. "Our message is that it isn’t worth taking this risk because we know these sites contain malicious content which can expose people to numerous issues. If you stream pirated content, you are more likely than not to get malware on your device," he said.

He added that as part of the campaign, Premier League is working with partners and local authorities to protect fans against these threats. "We encourage those who are still choosing to watch Premier League football through illegal streams to instead enjoy Premier League matches in the best and safest way through our official broadcast partners. Educating football fans on the dangers of viewing illegal content is a key part of our anti-piracy programme. Alongside this, we are taking firm action by blocking websites, prosecuting sellers of illegal streaming devices, and disrupting streams to make it harder to access these high-risk websites,” added Plumb.

Meanwhile, as part of the campaign last season, Premier League commissioned research by White Bullet Solutions, which showed that 58% of Singaporeans have been a victim of cybercrime, with many not understanding how to protect their safety online. The research also found that 52% of Singaporeans did not feel confident identifying whether viewing Premier League content on illegal streams presents a cybersecurity risk to them and their devices, while 58% of the most popular pirate websites in Singapore for illegally watching Premier League content carried advertisements containing either fraud, malware, adult or gambling content. This puts consumers at risk of being victims of online scams, data theft and fraud.

In Singapore, Premier League worked in collaboration with local exclusive broadcast partner StarHub on the campaign.

StarHub general counsel and chief corporate officer, Veronica Lai, said, “In today’s digitally connected world, the dangers of illegal streaming inadvertently unleashing risks of cybercrime, malware and disrupting viewing experiences are real. We are very glad to partner the Premier League in this campaign, to raise awareness of such cyber concerns. We encourage viewers to subscribe to a safe, and good quality streaming experience with StarHub, to enjoy unmatched affordability and an entertaining breadth of content.”

 

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