Netflix, Disney+: streaming services are too expensive and lead to piracy according to Arcom

The latest Arcom report is categorical: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and all other streaming services are way too expensive. According to the telecoms policeman, the link between high prices and the piracy of films and series is clear, although the number of French people watching their content illegally is down this year.

“The price of a subscription or content remains the main obstacle to legal consumption», insists the Arcom, which adds that “we should not be surprised by the return of piracy”. The message is clear: no matter how hard streaming services fight piracy of their content, nothing will be more effective than reducing the price of their subscriptions. In any case, this is what the latest ConsoCulture barometer of the telecoms policeman suggests, which is interested in the consumption habits of the French in terms of audiovisual.

However, at first glance, the results are rather positive. Arcom notes a drop in illicit consumers of audiovisual content in France, which reached 24% of the population in 2022 (-3 points compared to 2021). In the same way, regulatory consumers, for their part, are more numerous by 6 points, which is explained among other things by the increase in consumers as such. However, more than half of “pirates” explain that they download their content illegally simply for price reasons.

Pirates are not necessarily who you think

They are thus 53% to believe that excessive prices push them to consume their films and series illegally, compared to 48% in 2021. Last year, a group of pirates (real, this time), had already accused the platforms of streaming to shoot themselves in the foot by offering such expensive formulas. A year later, nothing has changed, or almost: prices have risen again. However,

On the same subject – Netflix: the platform gains subscribers thanks to pirate boxes, this study proves it

Add to that the record inflation that has been raging for months and the proliferation of platforms, it doesn’t take much more to understand this increase in illicit consumers. Or not ? Indeed, Arcom takes the opportunity to define the average Frenchman who illegally downloads this content. According to the telecoms policeman, it would be mainly men between 15 and 24 years old, belonging to a wealthy family and living in Île-de-France. Like what, it is better to be wary of appearances.