“The trade-off isn’t only ethical or economic,” Andreaux adds. “It’s also about reliability, privacy and personal security.”
Abed Kataya, digital content manager at SMEX, a Beirut-based digital rights organization focused on internet policy in the Middle East and North Africa, says piracy in the region is shaped less by culture than by structural barriers.
“I see that piracy in MENA is not a cultural choice; rather, it has multiple layers,” Kataya tells WIRED Middle East.
“First, when the internet spread across the region, as in many other regions, people thought everything on it was free,” Kataya says. “This perception was based on the nature of Web 1.0 and 2.0, and how the internet was presented to people.”
Today, he says, structural barriers still lead 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 access also remains a major factor. “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,” Kataya adds.
Algerian students also share external hard drives loaded with television series, while in Lebanon streaming passwords are frequently shared across households. In Egypt, large Telegram channels distribute content across different genres, including Korean dramas, classic Arab films and underground music.
“We grew up solving problems online,” says Mira. “When something is blocked, you find a way around it. It’s … a fundamental human instinct.”
Streaming Platforms Adapting
Andreaux says StarzPlay has tried to address some of the payment barriers that limit streaming adoption in the region. “StarzPlay recognized early that payment friction was a regional barrier to adoption,” he says. “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.”
At the same time, international media companies are working together to combat piracy through the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a coalition of film studios, television networks and streaming platforms that targets illegal distribution of films, television and sports content. Its members include global companies such as Netflix as well as regional players like OSN Group, which operates the streaming service OSN+ across the Middle East and North Africa.
Kataya notes that legitimate streaming platforms are still expanding across the region. “The user base of official streaming platforms has been growing in the region,” he says. “For example, Shahid, the Saudi platform, is expanding and Netflix has dedicated packages for the region.”
“Other players, like StarzPlay and local platforms in Egypt, are also finding their place,” Kataya adds. “Social media also plays a huge role, especially when a film is widely discussed or controversial.”
Piracy carries legal and security risks, Andreaux says. “Rather than just ‘free streaming’, piracy exposes consumers to malware and insecure payment channels,” he says. “It also weakens investment in local content by depriving creators of revenue and reducing jobs.”
But the structural barriers described by users across the region remain. For many viewers in North Africa and the Levant, the challenge is not choosing between piracy and legality—it is whether legitimate access exists at all.
