Piracy in MEA region costing local industry over AED 2 billion every year

Piracy in the Middle East and Africa is costing the local industry over AED 2.7 billion in lost revenue every single year. That’s according to technology consultancy firm IDC, which says that a large section of the population in the region views pirated content as socially acceptable. Experts at IDC say that in order for consumers across the region to understand the damage piracy causes to local industries, their mindset needs to change. While there is a high demand in the region for more localised content, experts say the ongoing piracy issue means that independent production companies will no longer be able to afford to create local content.