Last year, New Market’s Zeenat Book Supply shut down on May 1, 2023. Zeenat was one of the oldest bookstores in Bangladesh’ Dhaka city and had been operating since 1963. Syeed Faisal, owner of the bookstore, says: "There were few other forms of entertainment when my father opened this shop in 1963. Radio and Bangladesh Television eventually arrived, but even that was … [Read more...] about Piracy Caused Zeenat Bookstore Closure
Ebook and Audiobook Piracy News
Japanese Publishers Sue Cloudflare for Manga Piracy
Four major Japanese manga publishers said they will sue a US company accused of hosting servers for a piracy site, in the latest offensive against illegal copies of their graphic novels. Piracy is a long-running problem for Japan's internationally renowned manga industry, with publishers saying they lose millions in revenue as a result. The publishing giants will file the … [Read more...] about Japanese Publishers Sue Cloudflare for Manga Piracy
New research shows pirate site blocking spurs legal content consumption globally
Recent research sheds light on the impact of blocking pirate sites, revealing significant boosts in legal content consumption worldwide, TorrentFreak reported. In the ongoing battle against online piracy, website blocking has emerged as a prominent strategy employed by ISPs in different parts of the world. This approach, aimed at curbing access to illicit content, has garnered … [Read more...] about New research shows pirate site blocking spurs legal content consumption globally
200+ Million Digital Piracy Instances Removed in 2023
Piracy is a major issue for digital publishers including Kakao Entertainment's subsidiary Tapas Entertainment, which focuses on publishing webcomics and web novels. For publishers that make their money off of clicks and microtransaction coins, having the same content being uploaded elsewhere for free on the same day without the owners' permission can have long-term consequences … [Read more...] about 200+ Million Digital Piracy Instances Removed in 2023
Manga mania – U.S. claims top spot on piracy charts
Despite the increasing accessibility of legal avenues, the specter of online piracy looms large, drawing in millions of users worldwide to pirate sites and services, TorrentFreak reported. Fresh statistics from MUSO, a piracy tracking firm based in the UK, reveal a persistent relevance of pirate platforms, easily accessible to users. In a notable trend, the publishing … [Read more...] about Manga mania – U.S. claims top spot on piracy charts
Two Arrested for Shonen Jump Images Leaks
Multiple major One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen leakers have been shut down following the arrests of two individuals suspected of violating copyright law regarding the illegal distribution of Weekly Shonen Jump. Asahi reports that police stationed in Kumamoto -- One Piece author Eiichiro Oda's hometown -- arrested two foreign citizens suspected of infringing on Weekly Shonen … [Read more...] about Two Arrested for Shonen Jump Images Leaks
ebook piracy is considered a minor problem by US government
Digital book piracy is considered a very minor problem by the United States government. The Office of the United States Trade Representative has just published its annual overview of the world's most significant and problematic piracy websites. The vast majority of the sites focus on file hosting websites, streaming IPTV boxes and pirating websites. Over 25 different sites, in … [Read more...] about ebook piracy is considered a minor problem by US government
Piccoma Manga Reader Surpasses Manga Plus
In 2023, the Japanese manga app Piccoma made more than $675 million in sales transactions. This surpasses any previous digital comics or manga service, emphasizing the significant profitability of digital manga distribution. Piccoma’s parent company Kakao Corporation reported that this was the first time an app primarily focused on manga achieved over 100 billion yen in … [Read more...] about Piccoma Manga Reader Surpasses Manga Plus
Publishers intensify battle against Z-Library
Since the beginning of this month, publishers have been spearheading the surge in Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests received by Google. The influx amounts to millions per day. Analysis of the data, as TorrentFreak pointed out indicates that the notable uptick in publisher activity is largely attributed to Z-Library, hinting at a concerted effort to … [Read more...] about Publishers intensify battle against Z-Library
Popular Manga App Ceases Amid Legal Threats from Kakao
A major Korean manhwa publisher has compelled the widely used manga and manhwa reading app, Tachiyomi, to halt all development activities. The main person in charge of Tachiyomi, the app that's been around for nine years, was told to stop the project. They had to delete all the different versions and extras on GitHub. Big companies in Japan, like Shueisha and Toei Animation, … [Read more...] about Popular Manga App Ceases Amid Legal Threats from Kakao
Piracy sites have witnessed 12% rise in traffic in past four years
Visits to illicit online platforms have surged by 12 percent over the past four years, shedding light on the pervasive issue of online piracy, FastCompany reported. This longstanding problem, tethered to the expansive growth of digital platforms and the proliferation of video and audio streaming services, underscores the increasing temptation for users to resort to … [Read more...] about Piracy sites have witnessed 12% rise in traffic in past four years
Indonesian book giant turns to tech to fight piracy
Kompas Gramedia, a major Indonesian conglomerate with a robust book publishing unit, is exploring the potential of blockchain technology to tackle the persistent issue of online content piracy. Adi Ekatama, the publishing director of the Group of Retail & Publishing (GoRP) division, expressed optimism that blockchain, particularly non-fungible tokens (NFTs), could play a … [Read more...] about Indonesian book giant turns to tech to fight piracy
‘Anna’s Archive’ blocked following publishers’ protest over piracy accusations
In the last ten years, platforms like Sci-Hub, Libgen, and Z-Library have emerged from the murky waters of unlicensed platforms, claiming their spots on the front lines of piracy. In 2022, a controversial platform named Pirate Library Mirror burst onto the scene, stirring controversy by obtaining a complete copy of Z-Library before its legal woes began. In November 2022, … [Read more...] about ‘Anna’s Archive’ blocked following publishers’ protest over piracy accusations
Largest manga and Webtoon piracy site – M – likely to close soon
In a significant development, one of the largest manga and Webtoon piracy sites, codenamed M, maybe on the brink of closure as Kakao Entertainment claims to have identified the operators after an extensive five-year pursuit. As ComicBook stated, the issue of manga, Webtoon, and anime piracy has loomed large over the industry, prompting collaborative efforts from publishers to … [Read more...] about Largest manga and Webtoon piracy site – M – likely to close soon