Protecting Your Content in the Digital Age: Leading the Fight Against Digital Publishing Piracy
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the publishing industry is facing a growing and complex challenge: digital piracy. As more content moves online, the need for effective and robust content protection has never been more critical. At MUSO, we are dedicated to helping intellectual property owners and media companies safeguard their work, ensuring that their creative efforts are protected and their value preserved and increased.
The Rising Threat of Publishing Piracy
While the music and film industries have long battled the scourge of piracy, the publishing world initially seemed less vulnerable. However, since 2020, digital publishing piracy has surged dramatically, surpassing even film piracy in demand. This rapid rise has impacted all types of published content, from audiobooks and ebooks to educational materials and Manga.
In 2023 alone, MUSO tracked over 63.6 billion visits to piracy websites that host unauthorised publishing content. By mid-2024, we’ve already measured 38.9 billion visits—a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. These figures underscore the urgency for publishers and authors to take proactive steps in protecting their intellectual property.
MUSO’s Data-Driven Approach to Content Protection
At MUSO, we believe in a comprehensive, data-driven approach to combating piracy. Our technology doesn’t just identify and remove infringing content; it provides valuable insights that empower our customers to understand the nature and scope of piracy affecting their work.
We work with thousands of authors and publishers, offering tailored protection services to meet their specific needs and tackle their nuanced problems. For larger publishers with dedicated anti-piracy teams, we provide detailed piracy intelligence that helps them stay ahead of the curve and data-driven. For smaller content creators, our services offer critical protection, ensuring that their work remains safe from unauthorised distribution in the quickest possible way.
Tackling Non-Compliant Piracy Websites
One of the more challenging aspects of digital piracy is dealing with non-compliant websites—those that refuse to remove infringing content despite clear evidence. While many sites cooperate when notified, others operate under ideologies that promote free access to all content or exploit legal loopholes to avoid compliance in some territories.
MUSO’s multi-faceted strategy for addressing these non-compliant sites is highly effective. When direct removal isn’t possible, we take additional steps to reduce the visibility and accessibility of pirated content:
- Search Engine De-Listing: We remove infringing content from search engine results, making it harder for users to find and download illegal copies.
- ISP Blocking: We work with Internet Service Providers to block access to the most troublesome piracy sites, further protecting your content.
- Social Media Removals: Recognizing the role of social media in spreading pirated content, we actively monitor and remove infringing links shared on these platforms.
Why MUSO is Essential for Publishers and Authors
Piracy is a fast-moving and ever-changing threat, but MUSO’s combination of data, automation and expert intervention ensures that we stay one step ahead. Our proactive identification, verification, and removal of infringing content, alongside our strategic handling of non-compliant sites, have proven to be invaluable for our customers.
By partnering with MUSO, you’re not just protecting your content, you’re enhancing its value. Our comprehensive services ensure that your creative efforts are safeguarded, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating.
Get in Touch
If you’re a publisher, author, or content creator serious about protecting your intellectual property in the digital age, MUSO is here to help. Learn more about our services and how we can support you in safeguarding your work from the growing threat of digital piracy.
Visit our publishing protection site for more information, or contact daisy.smail@muso.com to discover how MUSO can help you protect your books and authors today.