Streaming platforms cannot solve the piracy problem

“The trade-off is not just moral or economic,” Andreu adds. “It’s also about reliability, privacy and personal security.”

Piracy in the region is shaped less by culture than by structural barriers, says Abed Qataya, digital content director at SMEX, a Beirut-based digital rights organization that focuses on internet policy in the Middle East and North Africa.

“I see piracy in the MENA region as not being a cultural choice; it has multiple layers,” Kataya told WIRED Middle East.

“First, when the Internet spread throughout the region, as in many other regions, people thought everything was free,” Kataya says. “This perception was based on the nature of Web 1.0 and 2.0, and how the Internet was presented to people.”

Today, he says, structural barriers still lead many users towards illegal platforms. “Users started watching online on unofficial streaming platforms for many reasons: lack of local platforms, inability to pay, bypassing censorship, and of course watching for free or at lower prices.”

Access to payment also remains a key factor. “Not to mention, many are unbanked, do not have bank accounts, lack access to online payments, or do not trust paying with their cards and have a general distrust of online payments,” Kataya adds.

Algerian students also share external hard drives loaded with TV series, while in Lebanon, streaming passwords are frequently shared between families. In Egypt, large Telegram channels distribute content across different genres, including Korean dramas, classic Arabic films, and underground music.

“We grew up solving problems online,” says Mira. “When something is blocked, you find a way around it. It’s…a basic human instinct.”

Adapt to streaming platforms

Andreu says StarzPlay has tried to address some of the payment barriers that limit streaming adoption in the region. “StarzPlay recognized early on that payment controversies were a regional barrier to adoption,” he says. “That’s why we’ve invested in flexible subscription models and alternative payment methods, including telecom-based billing options that make access easier across different markets.”

Meanwhile, international media companies are working together to combat piracy through the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), an alliance of film studios, television networks and streaming platforms targeting the illegal distribution of films, television and sports content. Its members include global companies such as Netflix as well as regional players such as OSN Group, which operates the OSN+ streaming service in the Middle East and North Africa.
Kattaya points out that legitimate streaming platforms are still expanding across the region. “The user base of official streaming platforms is growing in the region,” he says. “For example, the Shahid Saudi platform is expanding, and Netflix has packages tailored to the region.”

“There are other players, such as StarzPlay and local platforms in Egypt, who are also finding their place,” Qataya adds. “Social media also plays a big role, especially when a film is widely discussed or sparks controversy.”

Andreux says piracy poses legal and security risks. “Instead of just ‘free streaming,’ piracy exposes consumers to malware and unsecured payment channels,” he says. “It also undermines investment in local content by depriving creators of revenue and cutting jobs.”

But the structural barriers described by users across the region remain. For many viewers in North Africa and the Levant, the challenge is not choosing between piracy and legality, but whether legitimate access exists at all.