The seminar on “Solving the Copyright Protection Challenge for the Digital Music, Film, and Television Industry” held on September 26th, organized by Thủ Đô Multimedia, drew significant attention from various newspapers, including the renowned Văn Hóa Newspaper.
The alarming figure is up to 80% regarding copyright infringements occurring on digital platforms 2
The seminar shared information about the current state of copyright infringement in digital content in general and specifically within the music, film, and digital television industries. It also discussed the challenges in implementing preventive measures and addressing copyright infringement.
This information startled content creators in general, particularly those in the music, film, and digital television industries. Vietnam experiences up to 80% of copyright infringements on digital platforms, resulting in a loss of $348 million in 2022 (equivalent to 7,000 billion Vietnamese đồng).
Vũ Kiêm Văn, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA), emphasized the importance of protecting content copyrights, especially in the current digital transformation era, which presents numerous challenges. Many conferences and seminars have focused on this issue, indicating the significant concern among content creators and digital content businesses.
Recognizing this trend, the VDCA has established the Digital Copyright Center to play a crucial role in addressing this pressing issue. Many social organizations, professions, and businesses related to content creation and protection have also emerged to collaborate in safeguarding digital copyrights.
According to Vũ Kiêm Văn, this seminar provided a platform for sharing experiences and knowledge regarding this timely issue. The discussion primarily concentrated on the music, film, and digital television sectors, which have witnessed the most copyright infringements and also pose the greatest challenges for resolution.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital content distribution, the rapid growth of Over-The-Top (OTT) television platforms and online film distributors like Netflix, Hulu, and Hotstar has introduced a new era of content consumption. The ease of accessing movies, TV shows, and live music events on various devices has revolutionized how audiences interact with content.
However, this digital revolution has also brought unprecedented challenges in terms of content security and copyright protection, necessitating innovative solutions to protect content from a range of copyright infringements.
OTT television service providers such as TV360 and FPT Play, along with online film distributors like Netflix, Hulu, and Hotstar, have become key players in the digital entertainment ecosystem by meeting the demand for unlimited content. Therefore, ensuring the integrity and exclusivity of released content has become a critical issue, one that content owners and distributors increasingly prioritize.
In this context, content distribution and copyright protection are facing various threats. Clandestine screen recording and the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to evade geographical restrictions, allowing access to content from one country to be illicitly distributed in another, are among the challenges that demand comprehensive copyright protection solutions.
To cope with these diverse threats and establish effective policies and management practices, technology plays a crucial role. In response to this reality, Sigma Multi-DRM introduced a groundbreaking solution, Sigma Active Observer (SAO). This solution goes beyond the limitations of traditional DRM solutions, providing a flexible and proactive defense mechanism that detects and alerts against copyright infringement risks.
With the rapidly expanding content distribution landscape and the increasing complexity of digital content copyright infringements, facing various digital threats is an issue that will persist in the digital environment. Sigma Multi-DRM’s integration of SAO offers a dynamic and comprehensive solution, not only maintaining content security but also creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of the digital media industry. By choosing Sigma Multi-DRM with SAO, OTT television service providers and online film distributors demonstrate a long-term vision and commitment to content quality and security in the digital future.
The situation of music, film, and television copyright infringement on digital platforms is rampant, increasingly complex, and sophisticated. This raises the demand for the development of an automated system to block access to pirate websites and the tightening of legal mechanisms for copyright protection.
At a symposium on September 26th, titled “Solving the Copyright Protection Challenge for the Digital Music-Film-Television Industry,” organized by Thủ Đô Multimedia, several leading newspapers, including the renowned Tiền Phong newspaper, reported:
Proliferation of Infringement
At the symposium on solving the copyright protection challenge for the digital music, film, and television industry, organized by the Vietnam Digital Content Creative Alliance (DCCA) on September 26th, numerous experts, lawyers, and representatives of digital content providers shared insights into the copyright infringement issues, especially in the music, film, and television sectors, proposing preventive measures and strategies to combat copyright infringement.
Regarding the protection of unique content copyright in the digital era, Mr. Vũ Kiêm Văn, Deputy Chairman and Secretary-General of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association, affirmed that safeguarding copyright, especially in the context of the digital age, presents significant challenges. To elaborate further on this statement, Mr. Phạm Hoàng Hải, Director of the Copyright Content Center at the Department of Radio, Television, and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications, emphasized that the issue of copyright infringement in Vietnam is very complex. Numerous pirate websites frequently and unlawfully broadcast football matches and movies.
According to data from SimilarWeb, there are about 70 pirate football websites with more than 1.5 billion views in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, more than 200 pirate movie websites attract about 120 million views per month, with the top 10 websites receiving more than 66 million views each month. Within one year from August 2022, PTTH&TTĐT, in collaboration with the Department of Information Security and copyright holders, has managed to block nearly 1,000 pirate football websites such as coichua.net, tammao.tv, and xoilac.live.
Mr. Phạm Hoàng Hải highlighted the common characteristics of many copyright-infringing websites, which involve using international domain names and frequently changing domain names when blocked. The primary method of copyright infringement on these pirate websites is live streaming or content sharing on social media platforms. These contents are typically extracted from legitimate platforms such as OTT, terrestrial digital television, and satellite digital television. In addition to reposting copyrighted content, pirate websites often display harmful advertisements, gambling, and betting.
Businesses face difficulties due to widespread copyright infringement 5
Lawyer Phạm Thanh Thuỷ, responsible for copyright infringement prevention for a channel broadcasting the English Premier League, pointed out that Vietnam has 15.5 million people regularly accessing pirate websites, ranking Vietnam among the top three regions for copyright infringement. English Premier League matches with copyrights are widely available on the internet. If 10% of the 15.5 million pirate views convert to legitimate subscriptions, the revenue generated would be substantial. With this income, Vietnam could reinvest in higher-value products, acquire better sports programs and films, thus contributing to the development of the digital content creative industry in Vietnam, said Ms. Phạm Thanh Thủy.
Automatic Blocking Mechanisms
Regarding the information about copyright infringement damages, Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hân, CEO of Thủ Đô Multimedia, stated that 80% of copyright violations occur on digital platforms, resulting in a loss of $348 million in 2022, equivalent to 7 trillion Vietnamese dong. Globally, copyright infringement caused $65 billion in damages to the music, film, and television industry in 2022.
In addition to technical solutions such as access blocking and proactive access blocking systems, experts and representatives emphasized the role of legal measures, especially in supporting copyright holders. Ms. Phạm Thanh Thủy identified some challenges. Applying administrative, civil, and criminal measures is difficult and time-consuming. “The lawsuit against phimmoi.net has been going on for four years without a resolution,” Ms. Phạm Thanh Thủy stated.
Businesses face difficulties due to widespread copyright infringement 6
Mr. Phạm Hoàng Hải believes that after a prolonged period of implementing access blocking measures against pirate websites, positive results have been achieved. Specifically, the number of copyright infringement links has decreased by 7%, and access to blocked websites has decreased by up to 98%. Moreover, blocking access to pirate websites has gradually changed the internet usage habits of Vietnamese citizens. As a result, 23% of Vietnamese internet users responded that they would not or would reduce their access to pirate websites due to the impact of access blocking.
However, the access blocking measures still have some shortcomings. “We need to establish coordination between copyright holders, state management agencies, and ISPs. Establishing flexible access blocking mechanisms, tracking and blocking new domain names that emerge after the initial block, and applying various appropriate technical measures to block access,” suggested Mr. Phạm Hoàng Hải.
In line with Mr. Phạm Hoàng Hải’s perspective, Ms. Phạm Thanh Thủy proposed that Vietnam should adopt a proactive blocking model like that in the UK. In this model, when pirate websites change their domain names or IP addresses after the first block, ISPs would proactively block the new domain names and IP addresses upon receiving notifications from copyright holders or relevant government agencies, without the need for re-administrative procedures.
Recognizing the necessity of an automatic blocking system, Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hân suggested using AI technology to enhance monitoring of all aspects of content distribution and online broadcasting activities. “The use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) can help rapidly and accurately detect and review all data exchange activities during content distribution on the internet,” Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hân noted.
According to data from SimilarWeb, there are approximately 70 illegal football streaming websites in Vietnam, with over 1.5 billion views in the years 2022 and 2023.
During the seminar on “Solving the Copyright Protection Challenge in the Music, Film, and Digital Television Industry” organized by Thủ Đô Multimedia on September 26, 2023, several alarming statistics were revealed.
Phạm Hoàng Hải, the Director of the Content Copyright Center (Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information – Ministry of Information and Communications), stated during the seminar that copyright infringement has become increasingly complex. Numerous illegal websites, specifically related to football and movies, have been identified. SimilarWeb data shows that around 70 illegal football streaming websites received over 1.5 billion views between 2022 and 2023. Additionally, more than 200 illegal movie websites attracted approximately 120 million views per month, with the top 10 receiving over 66 million views each month.
Furthermore, it has been observed that some illegal websites have recently shifted to Japanese anime content. This copyright infringement in the realm of Japanese manga has provoked strong reactions from copyright owners in Japan regarding copyright violations in Vietnam.
A common characteristic of these copyright-violating websites is their use of international domain names and hidden information services. They operate openly and frequently change their domain names to evade blocking. These websites often feature harmful advertisements, gambling, and other illicit content.
One typical method of copyright infringement involves these websites livestreaming copyrighted content or editing and sharing it immediately after the content owners release it on platforms such as OTT, terrestrial digital television, and satellite television.
To combat this issue, the Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information has collaborated with the Department of Information Security and copyright owners to detect and verify copyright infringements and request Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to these websites. However, this blocking only occurs within Vietnam’s territory, meaning users outside Vietnam can still access these websites.
From August 2022 to August 2023, these agencies successfully blocked nearly 1,000 illegal football streaming websites. Nevertheless, there are still technical limitations in the uniformity of blocking measures among ISPs. Some ISPs block access immediately, while others do so after three or more days.
Although there are inconsistencies in blocking measures, they have been effective in changing user habits. A survey revealed that 23% of Vietnamese internet users stated that they either do not access or access illegal websites less frequently due to the blocking measures.
The Content Copyright Center proposed several effective measures to combat online copyright infringement. These measures include establishing collaboration between copyright owners, government authorities, and ISPs, implementing flexible and immediate blocking mechanisms for newly emerged domains, utilizing various technical measures for blocking access (DNS, IP, CDN), and developing automated blocking tools to minimize time and human resources.
On September 26, 2023, in Hanoi, the Digital Content Creativity Alliance (DCCA) in coordination with Thủ Đô Multimedia organized a seminar titled “Solving the Copyright Protection Puzzle for the Music, Film, and Digital Television Industry.”
According to information from vietnamfinance.vn, up to 80% of copyright infringements occur on digital platforms, with the most violated content categories being television programs, movies, music, and books. The estimated damage in 2022 amounted to approximately 350 million USD.
This information was shared during the seminar on copyright protection held by the Digital Content Creativity Alliance, the Vietnam Digital Communication Association, and Thủ Đô Multimedia on September 26.
According to the report from the Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications, copyright infringement in Vietnam has become increasingly complex, with numerous websites infringing on copyrights, including streaming illegal football matches and movies. According to SimilarWeb data, there are around 70 illegal football streaming websites with over 1.5 billion views in 2022 and 2023.
SimilarWeb data also indicates that over 200 illegal movie streaming websites attract approximately 120 million views per month, with the top 10 sites receiving more than 66 million monthly views. Moreover, it has been discovered recently that some of these illegal websites have transitioned to hosting unauthorized Japanese Anime content, prompting strong reactions from Japanese copyright holders regarding copyright infringement in Vietnam.
From August 2022 to August 2023, the Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information, in collaboration with the Department of Information Security and copyright holders, managed to block nearly 1,000 illegal football streaming websites such as xoilac.1tiengruoi.link, xoivo4.com, coichua.net, tammao.tv, 90link.com, xoilac.live, xemtructiep.xyz, among others. The list of these copyright-infringing websites was published on the website banquyen.gov.vn.
According to Nguyễn Ngọc Hân, the CEO of Thủ Đô Multimedia Company, copyright infringement in Vietnam ranks third in Southeast Asia and ninth globally. Among these violations, 80% occur on digital platforms, primarily affecting television programs, movies, music, and books.
“The estimated damage from copyright infringement in Vietnam in 2022 was approximately 350 million USD, and the global damage from copyright infringement in the film, music, and television industries reached 65 billion USD in 2022,” said Mr. Hân.
Representatives from the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA) pointed out that although domain blocking measures have been implemented in Vietnam, and digital rights management (DRM) solutions like Widevine, FairPlay, and PlayReady have been deployed to prevent unauthorized access and distribution, the existing copyright protection solutions are still inadequate and require multidimensional approaches to address the existing risks.
In particular, one of the technology solutions that garnered significant attention during the seminar was the Sigma Active Observer (SAO) solution. This solution not only provides a security layer for Sigma Multi-DRM but also monitors all aspects of content distribution and streaming activities. Additionally, through the application of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, SAO can identify abnormal patterns and potential threats at every stage, including cross-border distribution violations and packet spoofing. It also delves into user behavior patterns to immediately detect suspicious activities and protect against interference.
The digital revolution in the field of television is facing unprecedented challenges in terms of content security and copyright protection. This requires the emergence of new solutions to ensure that content is not infringed upon by various risks related to copyright violations.
On September 26th, under the theme “Addressing Copyright Protection in the Music, Film, and Digital Television Industry,” the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA) collaborated with Thudo Multimedia to organize an event aimed at finding innovative solutions to these challenges. Following the seminar, the news portal vietam.vn also published an article about the event.
Copyright infringement in Vietnam has become increasingly complex. While in the past, copyright violations were as simple as copying decoder cards for pay-TV, today’s violations have become more sophisticated, involving cross-border infringements.
Mr. Vu Kiem Van, Vice President, General Secretary of Vietnam Digital Media Association, spoke at the opening of the discussion.
According to Mr. Vu Kiem Van, Vice President and General Secretary of VDCA, there are significant challenges in the field of copyright within the current digital transformation landscape.
Mr. Pham Hoang Hai, Director of the Copyright Content Center at the Department of Radio, Television, and Electronic Information (Ministry of Information and Communications), emphasized that copyright violations in Vietnam have become extremely complicated. Many websites violate copyright by streaming football matches and films.
“Especially recently, some pirate websites have turned to the form of Japanese Anime comics. The theft and copyright infringement of comics have also received strong reactions from copyright owners in Japan regarding copyright infringement in Vietnam,” Mr. Hai noted.
The common characteristic of many copyright-violating websites is the use of international domain names and hidden registration information. They operate publicly, frequently changing domain names when blocked. These websites also often display harmful advertisements, gambling, and casinos.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Han, CEO of Thudo Multimedia
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Han, CEO of Thudo Multimedia, revealed that 80% of copyright infringements in Vietnam occur online, resulting in a loss of $348 million in 2022, equivalent to approximately VND 7 trillion.
Addressing copyright infringement in Vietnam is like navigating a maze. In the past, copyright violations were straightforward, involving copying decoder cards for pay-TV. Today, these violations have become more sophisticated, involving cross-border infringements.
At the seminar, participants shared the view that while domain blocking measures have been implemented in Vietnam, and digital rights management (DRM) solutions like Widevine, FairPlay, and PlayReady have been deployed to prevent unauthorized access and distribution, current copyright protection solutions are still insufficient. They called for a multidimensional approach to address the existing risks effectively.
In particular, one of the challenges faced by content providers in the digital rights management (DRM) landscape is the exploitation of packet spoofing to deceive authorization servers and bypass authorization verification for unreliable accounts.
OTT television service providers and online film distributors must also deal with a range of other risks, including the use of screen recording devices for unauthorized copying and the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent geographical restrictions, allowing access to content from one country that is illegally distributed in another.
To cope with these diverse threats, seminar participants suggested that, in addition to policy governance, greater emphasis should be placed on technology factors to provide a flexible and proactive defense mechanism, enabling the detection and reporting of copyright infringement risks.
The issue of content copyright protection, especially in the current digital transformation context, is facing numerous challenges. Meanwhile, handling copyright infringements has certain shortcomings, and preventive measures are not consistent. On September 26, 2023, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Alliance (DCCA), in collaboration with Thudo Multimedia, organized a seminar titled “Solving the Copyright Protection Challenge for the Music, Film, and Digital Television Industry.”
According to information posted by viettimes.vn:
Information presented at the seminar “Solving the Copyright Protection Challenge for the Music, Film, and Digital Television Industry,” organized by the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Alliance (DCCA), aims to share the current situation of copyright infringement in the digital content industry in general, including music, film, and digital television in particular. It also discusses the difficulties in applying prevention and protection solutions against copyright infringement.
In the context of the rapid development of digital content distribution, the proliferation of Over-The-Top (OTT) television platforms, and online film distributors have ushered users into an entirely new era of entertainment content consumption. The convenience of accessing movies, TV shows, and live music events on various devices has transformed the way audiences interact with content.
However, this digital revolution also brings unprecedented challenges in terms of content security and copyright protection. New solutions are needed to mitigate the risks associated with copyright infringement.
OTT television service providers like TV360 and FPT Play, along with online film distributors like Netflix, Hulu, and Hotstar, have become key players in the Internet entertainment ecosystem by meeting the demand for unlimited content. Therefore, ensuring the integrity and exclusivity of distributed content has become crucial and is a challenge that content owners and distributors take seriously.
While domain-blocking measures have started to be implemented in Vietnam, digital rights management (DRM) solutions such as Widevine, FairPlay, and PlayReady have been deployed to prevent unauthorized access and distribution. However, current copyright protection solutions are not sufficient and require a multifaceted approach to address existing risks.
In Vietnam, Pirate online football betting websites earning billions 10
In particular, one of the challenges that content providers face with DRM is the exploitation of packet spoofing to deceive license servers and bypass authorization processes for untrusted accounts.
To discuss the difficulties in applying prevention and protection solutions against copyright infringement, various topics were explored during the seminar. Alongside DRM vulnerabilities, OTT television providers and online distributors must contend with a range of other risks that demand comprehensive copyright protection solutions. These include screen recording and the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to circumvent geographical restrictions, allowing access to content that is illicitly distributed in one country from another.
Mr. Đinh Tiến Dũng, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Communication of the Ministry of Information and Communications, stated that state agencies have taken numerous measures to fulfill their responsibilities in protecting copyrights, cultural industry products, and complying with international commitments and conventions in which Vietnam participates. Government agencies are also making efforts to amend legal documents and add relevant regulations.
However, the management of online content is currently divided among three government agencies: the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. As a result, dealing with copyright infringements and copyright-violating channels takes a considerable amount of administrative time.
Mr. Dũng also emphasized the need to accelerate the speed of blocking and removing infringing content. If the content is handled within 10-15 minutes when it has only a few dozen views, then the management efforts are effective. However, if copyright-violating channels have already received millions of views, the intervention becomes less effective.
The highest administrative fine for copyright violations to date is 150 million VND (approximately 6,600 USD), while a pirate website broadcasting football matches and organizing online gambling can earn billions of VND. Mr. Dũng suggested that government agencies should share data to coordinate more effectively and that sanctions and penalties need to be stricter.
Mr. Phạm Hoàng Hải, Director of the Center for Digital Content Copyright, Broadcasting, and Electronic Information, Ministry of Information and Communications, believes that the measures to block access to copyright-infringing websites have been effective and have contributed to changing user habits. He mentioned that “23% of Internet users in Vietnam said they would not or would less frequently access pirate websites due to the impact of access restrictions,” citing a recent survey.
Representatives of the Center for Digital Content Copyright Protection also proposed effective measures to prevent and combat copyright infringement on the Internet. These measures include establishing collaboration between copyright owners, government agencies, and Internet service providers (ISPs); implementing flexible blocking mechanisms to address new domain names that emerge after previous ones have been blocked; and using various technical methods to block access (DNS, IP, CDN). Additionally, there is a need to develop automated blocking tools for all parties involved, reducing time and labor.
According to statistics, from August 2022 to August 2023, the Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information worked in coordination with the Department of Information Security and copyright holders to block nearly 1,000 pirate football streaming websites, including sites like xoilac.1tiengruoi.link, xoivo4.com, coichua.net, tammao.tv, 90link.com, xoilac.live, and xemtructiep.xyz.
Mr. Vũ Kiêm Văn, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA), mentioned that many social organizations and businesses engaged in content exploitation and copyright protection have emerged. They focus on areas such as film, music, and games, forming a growing community that collaborates to protect digital copyrights. After a period of communication and sharing of experience and knowledge, the awareness of copyright protection among Vietnamese businesses has increased.
Several entities have started paying more attention to copyright protection, investing in its development, and providing technology solutions to support these activities.
In response to the copyright infringement issue, Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hân, CEO of Thudo Multimedia, shared the Sigma Multi-DRM solution, which integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) for copyright protection. The solution is commercially known as Sigma Active Observer (SAO). It enables content owners and online content distribution platforms to protect their content on the Internet.
SAO is not just a layer of security for Sigma Multi-DRM but also observes monitoring activities at all stages of content distribution and online streaming. By using advanced AI algorithms, SAO goes further in detecting and screening any data exchange activities during content distribution on the Internet.
According to Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hân, SAO uses AI-driven algorithms to identify abnormal signs and potential threats at every step. This includes detecting cross-border distribution violations, identifying VPN usage, and thwarting attempts to access content from different regions. This proactive approach eliminates geographical limitations and reduces unauthorized access to content across borders.
SAO is also capable of countering misinformation attempts by recognizing fake information signs and preventing deceptive activities aimed at license server authentication.
In addition to ensuring real-time information collection and response, enabling operators to promptly address threats, SAO delves into user behavior patterns, identifies suspicious activities, and prevents interference. For instance, if access requests have conflicting information—for example, if a request claims to be from Hanoi but the user information suggests they are in another province—these access attempts will be scrutinized further.
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