Some of the biggest Asian entertainment-oriented pirate streaming websites have been struck with waves of closures and interruptions, indicating a stepped-up media company fight against online copyright infringement.
Popular Asian drama portal Dramacool just revealed that its network of websites—Asianc, Watchasia, Dramanice, and Runasian—is closing. According to a TorrentFreak analysis, this action—which is ascribed to pressure from copyright holders—has affected millions of users who depend on these sites to obtain materials.
Not far behind Dramacool’s demise, AnimeFenix, a well-known Spanish-language anime streaming platform, also revealed their “voluntary” closing. The operators of the site mentioned growing copyright pressure, especially from Sony, which owns Funimation and Kadokawa and has therefore obtained a sizable share of the anime business.
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“Today, Sony controls almost 60% of the anime business. AnimeFenix cautioned in its goodbye letter, “the call is for you consumers to be aware of the monopolies that the big companies are creating.”
Concerns Regarding Monopolies and Growing Prices
AnimeFenix voiced worry that the growing concentration of the anime business would result in more legal content being more expensive, so encouraging more people towards piracy. Declaring that ” piracy will never go away as long as there are companies with more greed than heart,” the site’s admins attacked businesses for putting profits before the interests of creators and fans.
GogoAnime/Anitaku Goes Dark
To add to the chaos, two of the biggest anime piracy sites—GogoAnime and Anitaku—with over 100 million monthly visits combined have ceased to publish fresh material. The sites are still open, but the absence of updates points to perhaps similar copyright pressure.
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The ascent and descent of pirate sites
These latest closures draw attention to the continuous fight between copyright holders and pirate streaming websites. Although enforcement operations could momentarily restrict access to pirated content, they usually encourage consumers to look for other sources, hence generating an ongoing game of whack-a-mole.
Some users have apparently moved to distributed file-sharing sites like Tribler, which saw a boom in activity following the latest upheavals. Tribler’s anonymous and tough character makes it less vulnerable to takedown attempts, thereby providing a refuge for anyone looking for unlicensed materials.
Online Piracy’s Future
Media firms keep substantially funding anti-piracy initiatives, but the battle against internet piracy is far from done. Pirate sites and alternative platforms will keep developing as long as demand for easily available free content exists. Copyright holders find it difficult to balance safeguarding their intellectual property with giving consumers reasonably priced, easily available choices to legally enjoy their content.
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