Synamedia refocuses antipiracy on watermarking and password-sharing

TV technology and content security provider Synamedia is refocusing its anti-piracy initiatives amid what it sees as mounting demand for digital watermarking and ways to combat password sharing.

Synamedia said it will focus its anti-piracy activities on its ContentArmor forensic watermarking and its intelligence and consultancy services.

The company said that as Hollywood studios increasingly mandate watermarking, this approach has already resulted in a raft of new streaming-first customers.

At the forthcoming IBC show, Synamedia is also shining a spotlight on its CSFEye solution which provides critical insights to turn password sharers and borrowers into paying subscribers.

With more automation and a new console, Synamedia says that ContentArmor is now quicker and easier to deploy. ContentArmor’s watermarking technology detects and disrupts the leakage of broadcast and streaming content to both consumers and businesses. Use cases include securing pre-release content to journalists and buyers, distribution to broadcasters and cinemas, and the streaming of premium VOD and live sports to consumers. 

Alain Durand, senior director of business development at Synamedia, said: “The surge of interest we’ve seen in watermarking follows hot on the heels of major Hollywood studios mandating watermarking in more and more use cases. Synamedia is committed to headend watermarking because it is cost-effective to deploy and provides a decisive additional security layer compared to inserting watermarks in non-managed devices.”

Synamedia is also establishing a partnership programme with monitoring specialists and software providers to combat password sharing. The company said that its new approach will ensure that Synamedia can quickly and cost-effectively respond to streaming providers’ fast evolving and comprehensive requirements.

As part of its consultancy business, Synamedia supports national governments, local and international law enforcement organisations, such as Interpol and Europol, and industry bodies including ABTA, AAPA and CAP/AVIA, with technical and forensic training and insights to assist in pirate raids.

With its field intelligence on hacking – covering pirates’ increasing use of AI, the role of cybersecurity, and understanding of the effectiveness of anti-piracy initiatives – the security operations team is a partner to provide risk analysis and security programmes by content, operator, and even by region.

Synamedia says it is responsible for protecting US$50bn of revenues annually.

Avigail Gutman, global VP of intelligence and security operations at Synamedia, said, “Our new strategy reflects the shift in how operators are now thinking about reducing piracy and recouping lost revenues. Piracy has transformed from the theft of intellectual property to being a full-blown cybercrime. Rights holders, particularly those with live sports and premium content, need technological countermeasures based on operational intelligence with support from law enforcement to pinpoint pirates and hackers upstream and to keep honest users honest.”

At IBC, Synamedia is also highlighting its CSFEye solution which helps operators address the differing needs of password sharers and borrowers to help turn them into paying subscribers and increase ARPU.

CSFEye shares a technology platform with the Synamedia Clarissa service for streaming analytics. Both CSFEye and Clarissa give customers insights into viewer behaviour to make smarter business decisions. This joint SaaS-based development platform is already delivering benefits to customers as more features become available faster. 

Amruta Shankar, director of data and analytics at Synamedia, said, “Operators have been examining Netflix’s initiatives around password sharing and there is growing demand to follow in their footsteps. Rather than viewing password sharing as a technology or a security problem, we approach it as a business opportunity for a streaming service. Streamers can now meet the needs of different types of sharers in different markets with a choice of strategies, policies and tactics that turn sharers into paying subscribers.”