Working with Operation Creative is part of MPA’s multi-faceted strategy to tackle online piracy in the UK
It is widely acknowledged that a multi-faceted strategy is required to successfully defend the rights of creators in the digital world and effectively tackle online copyright infringement. In practice this means all organisations with a stake in the online eco-system working collaboratively to target the sites that make infringing content available. At the same time we need to raise consumers’ awareness about the issue and connect with the value they place on their favourite films, music, TV shows.
The MPA has always sought to work with local partners in markets all over the world in order to develop tailored, flexible strategies to fight piracy. In the UK this has included working with internet service providers, other content industry partners and the UK Government on the consumer education campaign Get it Right from a Genuine Site and engaging in roundtable discussions with search engines and the Government to find ways to stop illegal sites from being featured prominently in search listings. That is why we are delighted to now also be a direct partner in Operation Creative, an initiative run by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) designed to disrupt and prevent websites from providing unauthorised access to copyrighted content.
Operation Creative reflects the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling online infringement and harnesses the cooperation of rightsholders, advertisers and others in the internet eco-system to take the fight to the illegal pirate sites. Its activities include maintaining an Infringing Website List (IWL) – an online portal providing members of the digital advertising sector with an up-to-date list of copyright infringing sites. The list is intended to assist reviewers from the sector in making informed decisions about where their ads are placed and, when they choose to do so, directing their teams not to place advertisements on some or all of the listed sites. This is key to help disrupt the advertising revenues channelled to these sites.
The work that PIPCU is carrying out in the UK is an excellent example of what can be achieved when rightsholders, online intermediaries and law enforcement agencies work collaboratively. Supporting this work is a reflection of the importance of the UK as a hub for the audio-visual industries and our continued commitment to work with local partners to promote an environment in which creativity can thrive to the benefit of our audiences.