Streaming: Why this is the future of Kenya’s creative economy and your duty to shun pirate sites

The battle between legitimate content providers and the shadowy networks behind illegal pirate streaming is intensifying. Technology is catching up, enabling authorities to track, block, and prosecute pirates. But beneath the surface, this isn’t just a fight about tech or copyright.

It is a fight for the soul of Kenya’s creative industry to protect our stories, our talent, and our voice. At the heart of any society lies the people’s identity. An identity which is defined by its culture, spanning from music, film, fashion, language, and narratives.

Today, much of this cultural expression lives online, particularly through streaming services. But the same digital shift that has made our rich African stories more accessible has also made them vulnerable through content piracy, which is not just theft but erasure.

People using pirated content streams will always want to make it look like a small, benign act. Yet, it has conspicuous, wide-ranging effects tied to it. It literally removes money from the wallets of genuine writers, actors, producers, editors, and other crew members who painstakingly work to create our stories.

These are the people behind the scenes, often working long hours with limited resources, passion, and an undeniable love for stories. When these stories are told, it turns out too many of them turn out to get too little earnings, thanks to piracy.

Without steady funding or employment, the industry springs from its inability to frame ideas that contain telltales that reflect our society.

Eventually, streaming platforms stop commissioning local shows altogether, and that’s how Kenyan stories start to disappear.

A 2021 Unesco report revealed that piracy drains up to 75 percent of potential revenue from West Africa’s film industry, with 50 percent of stakeholders reporting financial losses ranging between 25 percent and 50 percent. Nigeria alone lost an estimated $3 billion in one year due to digital piracy.

Read: Yes, it’s free, but pirated content poses immense personal risks

Kenya is not immune to this threat. A report by Partners Against Piracy estimates loses of upwards of Sh92 billion annually, due to digital piracy. That annual figure translates to a staggering Sh252 million every single day in losses stemming from illicit internet streaming, cable piracy (known as sambaza), and commercial piracy in public venues.

The impact of such activities is far reaching. Not only does it affect revenue streams of content creators, but it also discourages investment in the creative industries and erodes the morale of creators.

Despite these challenges, there is hope. In Kenya and across Africa, streaming platforms are carving out space for locally made, yet globally resonating storytelling. They are investing in narratives that reflect who we are: complex, vibrant, and undeniably original.

But none of that is possible without a functioning, sustainable industry. Piracy puts that entire ecosystem in jeopardy. It also endangers viewers. Illegal streaming platforms are rife with malware, viruses, and phishing scams.

Accessing pirated content may seem harmless, but it can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and exposure to inappropriate or unsafe material. Some pirate sites are even linked to larger criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, child exploitation, and human trafficking.

The solution to piracy starts with you. Responsible streaming is not only ethical but also patriotic. When you subscribe, you are investing in the future of our creative economy.

Being a responsible viewer also means speaking up. You can do this by reporting illegal sites, discouraging piracy among your peers, and supporting homegrown content.

Let us not let piracy rob us of that. Support legal content. Say no to piracy. And most importantly, let us #ProtectOurStories.

The writer is the Head of Operations Support at MultiChoice Kenya