Telia has joined Nordic Content Protection, an organization dedicated to fighting illegal profiteering and distribution of TV, films and sporting events in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

The sale of illegal TV subscriptions, which are often advertised openly on social media, poses a significant challenge, generating significant profits that are often used to finance other criminal activities such as drug trafficking, smuggling and prostitution.

Nordic Content Protection works to combat illegal streaming and illegal access to television broadcasts received via satellite dish, digital terrestrial network, IPTV or cable TV systems. The organization has supported its members for over 20 years with a range of specialized solutions covering technical advisory, enforcement actions, criminal case investigations, law enforcement collaboration, claims settlements and court hearing testimonials.

As Stian Løland, CEO of Nordic Content Protection explains, his organization cooperates with several distributors and rights holders in the Nordic region who support its activities and thereby distance themselves from all forms of criminal activity that harm the pay-TV industry.

“Every year, TV providers invest large sums of money for broadcasting rights to films, series and sporting events,” Løland says. “These investments financially support musicians, athletes, artists, actors, lyricists, producers and other individuals, as well as various cultural offerings, sports teams and sports clubs in connection with recruitment and further development. I’m very pleased to welcome Telia to our Nordic network of companies dedicated to fighting against illegal profiteering, which is often connected to serious organized crime. ”

Ultimately, consumers are also negatively affected, as Martin Bläckberg, Head of Media Strategy & Content Management at Telia, explains.

“Content theftdiscourages both creators and TV operators from investing in content,” Bläckberg says. “This ultimately leads to a smaller selection of movies, TV shows and sports events for consumers to watch. In addition, content providers may have to raise their prices to compensate for the income lost to piracy, making it more expensive for consumers to watch content legally. Last but not least, the illegal streaming services are often operated by criminals who use the profits to fund other illegal activities, underlining the importance of shutting these services down.”

Illegal TV services remain a significant concern in the Nordic countries despite the widespread availability of legal streaming services. Figures from a Mediavision study released in May 2024 show that 28 percent, or 2.2 million Swedes, anonymously reported that they had watched TV content via an illegal service in the past month, an increase of 8 percent from last year’s already high 25 percent.

As a member of Nordic Content Protection, Telia will continue to work with relevant stakeholders such as industry players and politicians to address this challenge.