Watermarking solutions remain especially popular for premium content like sports, while blocking capabilities are also growing – albeit with some controversy, writes David Davies.
Broadcasters and media service providers now have more options than ever before in terms of technologies and techniques to combat illegitimate activity propagated by organised crime groups and, increasingly, nation-states. Two of these mechanisms include watermarking and blocking.
The former is not particularly new, of course, but is now increasingly prevalent across streaming services, especially those involving premium content such as sports and tentpole dramas. But the way in which watermarking is delivered is continuing to mature and evolve, with ‘as-a-service’ models now commonplace.
The rise of blocking, however, is more recent and has attracted some controversy because of perceived drawbacks like the possible inadvertent obstruction of legitimate services. For instance, the recently launched Pirate Shield project in Italy, which aims to protect the big sports rights holders – such as DAZN, Sky, Prime Video and Infinity – by blocking unauthorised viewing of live events has attracted criticism from some ISPs, VPNs and consumers. At the least, further refinements would seem to be inevitable...
You are not signed in
Only registered users can read the rest of this article.
ProAV panel: “Fan engagement through a finger is going to be a complete game changer”
IBC2025 Conference: ProAV solutions provider Diversified hosted a panel examining the convergence of AV strategies in sports and enterprise environments.
Future Tech Stage Summary: Day 3
IBC2025: The third day of the IBC2025 Conference brought together a diverse group of experts and innovators from the media, broadcast, and technology sectors to discuss the transformative potential of emerging technologies, particularly AI, 5G, and cloud solutions. Voxo's AI model reports.
 SR.jpg)
Thelma Schoonmaker: “I have the best job in the world”
Three-time Academy Award-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker treated IBC2025 to an intimate and insightful overview of her storied career.
Evan Shapiro: “Netflix knows who its competition is”
IBC Conference: Evan Shapiro returned to IBC to remind content companies that their first priority is to go where the audience is.
IBC2025: What to look out for on Day 4
With the arrival of the fourth and final day of the show, IBC2025 reaches its grand finale. Experts, thought-leading talks, and cutting-edge technology buzz throughout the show. Visitors seize the final opportunity of the year to network, solidify partnerships and soak up the last of the available innovative learnings across IBC2025’s 14 halls. To navigate the whirlwind of content innovation, IBC365 has broken down some highlights for the day amongst the panel talks, demos, and masterclasses at Amsterdam’s RAI.
.jpg)
 and Romuald Rat (right) - source - EBU.jpg)
