In a move that marks its commitment to original content, Apple TV+ has joined the group.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American group founded in 1922 and chaired by the main American film studios:Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros.
Netflix joined AMP in 2019, which meant a significant change in the industry – a streaming platform joining traditional Hollywood studios.
Overall, the AMP aims to defend the film and television industry and to protect copyright.
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is a group launched in 2017 that grew out of AMP. It is a “global coalition of leading content creators and on-demand entertainment services committed to supporting the legal video content market and addressing the challenge of online piracy”.
ACE members include those of AMP, but it also includes other streaming services like Amazon and Hulu, as well as global creators like BBC Studios and Star India.
Apple joins ACE's board of directors. It's a move that shows its commitment not only to fighting the piracy of copyrighted content, but also to continuing to produce original content on its Apple TV+ streaming service.
It also cements the bond between new wave streaming studios and typical Hollywood studios, as both Netflix and Apple now sit on the ACE board.
Shows like Dickinson, Long Way Up and Trying are all part of Apple TV+'s growing catalog. The service costs $4.99 per month and is also available free for one year with the purchase of eligible Apple products.
According to statistics compiled by DataProt, more than 17 million people in the United States alone downloaded copyrighted material in 2018. Apparently, illegal downloading of copyrighted material uses 24 % of global bandwidth and 70,000 jobs are lost each year in the United States due to music piracy.
It's clear that piracy is a problem for the industry, so it makes sense that it wants to protect its own interests. The belief is that by shutting down illegal sources of pirated material, people will be driven to legitimate providers. However, detractors will say that other illegal sites will simply appear to replace the closed ones.
Piracy does not only impact the film and television industry. This is a problem for the entertainment world as a whole, including video games. If you think you're hacking something, think again. Legality aside, it can pose a real security risk.
