Piracy During the Pandemic Has Risen by 50% According to MUSO

• The Coronavirus lockdown has brought an increase in pirating rates, as it was to be expected.
• The phenomenon seems to be more intense in countries that experienced the worst economic disruption.
• Piracy has to do with entertainment, but also work since many people download cracked software to work from home.

The UK-based piracy tracking firm called MUSO reports that the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has served as a fuel to the piracy fire. As expected, people who are stuck inside and do not have anything interesting to do revert to binge-watching and excessive media consumption. If unemployment adds to the mix, one can easily deduce that these people can’t pay for legal streaming platforms, so they turn to piracy sites. The total increase in piracy since February was recorded to be as high as 50%.

Of course, among the 50% increase, some people are unaware the websites they’re visiting are illegal. Others prefer not to pay for accessing legitimate channels of distribution, and some have always been pirates by ideology and are now staying inside more than they were used to. So, this number is actually a combination of things, and not just due to a single problem.

MUSO has compared the pirating rates from March and February, and the following graph gives a clear picture. Countries where COVID-19 hit hard, such as Italy and Spain, have had a surge in their piracy rates. People in India were also put in a difficult position financially, as many relied on occupations and activities that have been halted now. The country where COVID-19 made the smallest difference was Russia, with a rise of only 17%.

Source: TorrentFreak

As MUSO explained further, piracy in the affected countries isn’t just about home entertainment through the watching of films and series, but also about professional software tools. People are stuck inside, and many of them still have to work. Others are desperately exploring new career paths that may give them work possibilities. Still, the need for pro-grade tools is one that is hard to cover when your financial status is deteriorating. Even though feeling like you have a good excuse to pirate stuff is understandable during these difficult times, there’s never a good reason to do it, and alternative options are always available.

Remember, torrent sites pose a considerable risk, and downloading malware is always a possibility when trying to source software cracks from wherever you may find them. There are ways to minimize these risks, but the best approach would be to avoid these platforms altogether. Since last month, creative software makers have been offering extensive trial periods that go up to 90 days, as well as special discounts. On the streaming field, one can enjoy free platforms, or just stay limited to the free trial period that comes with each platform.