The Complex Reality of Streaming and Piracy in the Middle East and North Africa

For most of the world, streaming services promise smooth access: a simple click, payment, and immediate viewing. However, in parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the reality of accessing digital entertainment is far more complicated. While global platforms such as Netflix and Spotify have expanded their geographical reach, the actual ability to access these services across the region remains profoundly uneven, creating a complex ecosystem where informal methods often become the primary means of content consumption.

This disparity is particularly pronounced in countries grappling with significant geopolitical and economic challenges. In nations like Syria and Lebanon, a confluence of factors—including international sanctions, severe financial crises, and fragile banking systems—makes even basic digital payments an arduous task. For a substantial segment of the younger population in these regions, traditional notions of digital content access are inverted. Piracy, the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass geo-restrictions, reliance on Telegram channels for content distribution, and the sharing of physical or cloud-based drives are not viewed as illicit, fringe systems operating outside the law. Instead, they have evolved into the default and often the only practical way of accessing global and even regional cultural content.

The legal landscape surrounding piracy in the Middle East is clear in many countries with established intellectual property (IP) and copyright laws. Nations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar legally prohibit piracy. Furthermore, in the UAE, the use of a VPN specifically to commit a crime, such as the unauthorized downloading or reproduction of copyrighted material, is also illegal, carrying potential penalties.

Despite these legal frameworks, the lived experience of users often overrides them. Mira, a student residing in Beirut, articulated a common sentiment shared by many in her situation, requesting anonymity to speak freely about her streaming habits. "I don’t consider it piracy," she stated, explaining the foundational issues she faces. "My banking card doesn’t work online, and even if it did, more than half of the movies aren’t available here." Her perspective highlights two critical barriers: the inability to process online payments and the widespread issue of geo-restrictions that limit content libraries in specific territories. Since Lebanon’s devastating financial crisis began in 2019, the country’s banking sector has imposed stringent controls on foreign currency transactions. This has effectively rendered many debit and credit cards useless for processing payments for dollar-denominated services, which include the vast majority of international streaming subscriptions.

In neighboring Syria, the impediments to legitimate access are even more fundamental and systemic. Many international streaming platforms, and indeed global digital service providers, do not operate within the country’s borders. This is a direct consequence of extensive US sanctions imposed on the Assad regime during the protracted civil war. These sanctions restrict financial transactions and actively prevent numerous global companies from offering their services in Syria. Laith, a student in Damascus, describes the stark reality: "Some services don’t operate here at all. That’s why you’d need a VPN, which you also have to pay for. As a simpler solution, most people just download directly." The additional cost and technical hurdle of a VPN, even if it could bypass geo-blocks, often push users towards simpler, albeit illegal, direct downloads.

In Egypt, the problem frequently boils down to practicality and the speed of access. Hussein, another student, explains how pirated content circulates with remarkable efficiency through messaging platforms. "There are Telegram groups that upload new episodes within hours," he says. "If something isn’t licensed in Egypt, it’s no problem—someone will eventually share it." While Telegram asserts that it removes copyrighted material upon receiving legitimate complaints from rights holders, the sheer scale and decentralized nature of the platform’s vast network of public and private channels can make effective enforcement exceedingly difficult.

Beyond the technical and political barriers, underlying economic conditions across significant parts of the region exacerbate the problem. Countries such as Egypt and Lebanon have experienced severe currency devaluations. Since international streaming subscriptions are typically priced in US dollars, these services become astronomically expensive and largely unaffordable for local audiences whose incomes are in rapidly depreciating local currencies. This economic reality transforms a luxury into an impossible expense for the average household.

Young consumers navigating this complex environment are acutely aware of the inherent tension between their desire for content access and their inclination to support the creators behind it. Amine, a 23-year-old film student in Tunis, articulates this conflict as a difficult ethical tightrope walk. "We want to support artists," he affirms. "But if we can’t access their work through official channels, we have to find another way." This statement underscores that for many, piracy is not a deliberate act of defiance against artists, but a pragmatic response to systemic failures in legitimate distribution.

Jean-Pierre Andreaux, who serves as the head of content protection at StarzPlay, a Dubai-based streaming platform with a significant presence across the Middle East and North Africa, emphasizes that user experience plays a pivotal role in how audiences choose where to watch content. "For younger audiences across the region, streaming isn’t just about access," he explains. "It’s about having a seamless experience—instant discovery, smooth playback, and frictionless payment." This expectation for a high-quality, effortless user journey has profoundly shaped the evolution of the piracy ecosystem itself. Andreaux notes that organized IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) piracy operations have become increasingly sophisticated. These illicit services often design their platforms to closely mimic legitimate streaming services, offering user-friendly interfaces, extensive libraries, and even, in some cases, a semblance of customer support, thereby directly competing on user experience. Market analysis cited by Andreaux suggests that approximately "23 percent of users in the region still access pirate IPTV services," indicating the pervasive nature of these sophisticated illegal operations. He further cautions that "the trade-off isn’t only ethical or economic. It’s also about reliability, privacy and personal security," highlighting the often-overlooked risks associated with unofficial channels.

Abed Kataya, a digital content manager at SMEX, a Beirut-based digital rights organization dedicated to internet policy in the MENA region, offers a crucial perspective: piracy in the region is shaped less by cultural inclination and more by deeply entrenched structural barriers. "I see that piracy in MENA is not a cultural choice; rather, it has multiple layers," Kataya tells WIRED Middle East. He traces part of this perception back to the early days of the internet. "First, when the internet spread across the region, as in many other regions, people thought everything on it was free," Kataya explains. "This perception was based on the nature of Web 1.0 and 2.0, and how the internet was presented to people."

Today, he contends, these foundational perceptions, combined with persistent structural obstacles, continue to steer many users towards illegal platforms. "Users began to watch online on unofficial streaming platforms for many reasons: lack of local platforms, inability to pay, bypassing censorship and, of course, to watch for free or at lower prices." Payment accessibility remains a particularly significant factor. Kataya elaborates, "Not to mention that 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." This highlights a fundamental challenge: even if a service were available and affordable, a significant portion of the population lacks the necessary financial infrastructure to subscribe.

The ingenuity born from necessity is evident in various localized practices. Algerian students, for instance, frequently share external hard drives loaded with television series and films, creating a robust, offline peer-to-peer distribution network. In Lebanon, where economic hardship is widespread, streaming passwords are often shared across multiple households, effectively stretching the cost of one subscription to benefit many. In Egypt, large and often genre-specific Telegram channels have become central hubs for distributing a vast array of content, ranging from popular Korean dramas to classic Arab films and even underground music, catering to diverse tastes. Mira’s reflection encapsulates this adaptive spirit: "We grew up solving problems online. When something is blocked, you find a way around it. It’s… a fundamental human instinct."

Recognizing these profound challenges, legitimate streaming platforms are actively working to adapt their strategies to the unique complexities of the MENA market. Andreaux reveals that StarzPlay has proactively tried to address some of the payment barriers that traditionally limit streaming adoption in the region. "StarzPlay recognized early that payment friction was a regional barrier to adoption," he states. "That’s why we invested in flexible subscription models and alternative payment methods, including telecom-led billing options that make access easier across different markets." These telecom-led billing options are crucial, allowing users to pay for subscriptions directly through their mobile phone bills, thereby circumventing the need for credit cards or bank accounts.

Concurrently, international media companies are collaborating to combat piracy through concerted efforts. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is a prominent coalition comprising major film studios, television networks, and streaming platforms. Its mission is to specifically target the illegal distribution of films, television series, and sports content globally. ACE’s membership includes global giants like Netflix, alongside significant regional players such as OSN Group, which operates the OSN+ streaming service across the Middle East and North Africa, demonstrating a united industry front against content theft.

Despite the pervasive nature of piracy, Kataya notes that legitimate streaming platforms are indeed continuing to expand their footprint and user base across the region. "The user base of official streaming platforms has been growing in the region," he confirms. "For example, Shahid, the Saudi platform, is expanding and Netflix has dedicated packages for the region." He adds that "other players, like StarzPlay and local platforms in Egypt, are also finding their place." Social media also plays a crucial role in this dynamic, particularly when a film or series garners widespread discussion or becomes controversial, driving interest that can, where possible, translate into official viewership.

However, Andreaux is quick to remind users of the inherent risks associated with piracy. "Rather than just ‘free streaming’, piracy exposes consumers to malware and insecure payment channels," he warns. These security vulnerabilities can lead to data breaches, financial fraud, and device compromise. Beyond the immediate user risk, piracy also has broader economic implications. "It also weakens investment in local content by depriving creators of revenue and reducing jobs," Andreaux emphasizes, highlighting the long-term detriment to the region’s burgeoning creative industries and digital economy.

Ultimately, the structural barriers described by users across the Middle East and North Africa remain formidable. For countless viewers in North Africa and the Levant, the challenge is often not a simple ethical dilemma of choosing between piracy and legality. Instead, it is a much more fundamental question of whether legitimate, accessible, and affordable content consumption options exist for them at all, underscoring a profound disparity in global digital access.