Italy: Anti-piracy efforts seeing success
The article reports that Italy’s anti-piracy strategy is beginning to deliver measurable results, according to the latest FAPAV/Ipsos Doxa survey. Although audiovisual piracy still caused an estimated €2.3 billion in economic damage during 2025, the number of Italians consuming pirated content fell to 20 million people (37% of the population), representing a 4% decline from 2024 and a 7% decline from 2023. The findings suggest that Italy’s combination of legislation, enforcement and public awareness campaigns is starting to reduce piracy.
The economic impact of piracy remains substantial. The report estimates losses of €902 million in GDP, €408 million in tax revenue, and approximately 11,100 jobs due to illegal consumption of films, television, live sports and other audiovisual content. Despite the encouraging downward trend, piracy continues to place significant pressure on Italy’s creative industries and public finances.
One of the most notable improvements was recorded among children aged 10 to 14, where piracy dropped to 37%, the lowest level ever measured. Overall, more than one million Italians have stopped consuming pirated content over the past two years. Researchers attribute this change partly to increased public awareness and stronger perceptions of legal risk.
The survey also shows that public understanding of piracy is improving. Around 71% of Italian adults are now aware of the country’s anti-piracy legislation introduced two years ago, while 62% believe the law is effective. Approximately 60% of respondents believe they are likely to be caught if they access illegal content, and many also recognize the risks of malware, identity theft and law enforcement investigations associated with pirate services.
Technology has played a central role in Italy’s enforcement strategy. The Piracy Shield platform, which enables internet service providers to rapidly block illegal streaming domains, is viewed as effective by 70% of adults. According to the report, more than 100,000 pirate websites and domains have been blocked over the past year through the system.
In terms of content, movies remain the most pirated category (28%), followed by TV series (23%), television programmes (19%), and live sports (14%). Sports piracy also showed a modest improvement, falling from 15% to 14%. The report concludes that while piracy remains a major challenge, Italy’s combination of legislation, technological enforcement, and public education is beginning to produce measurable long-term results.
