Ukraine’s anti-piracy initiative Clean Sky has provided a summary of its activities in 2022 against the backdrop of the war with Russia.
Vyacheslav Mienko, head of Clean Sky, said: “despite the challenges of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Clean Sky Initiative was able to adjust its work in new realities, launched many important initiatives and continues an active struggle on the information front. Our focus has shifted, and with the resources of the initiative’s participating companies, we are making maximum efforts to, first of all, counter enemy propaganda, promptly respond to threats to Ukraine’s information security, and implement the necessary changes in the media space. We believe that 2023 will be the year of absolute victory, and even more important projects and positive changes are waiting for the Clean Sky initiative”.
This year the initiative is setting itself “no less ambitious tasks” that will strengthen the processes of intellectual property protection in Ukraine, actively combat piracy and protect the information space of Ukraine. Legislative changes will be implemented, close cooperation with the cyber police and the SBU will continue to combat the illegal distribution of media content, and the prosecutor’s office will be further involved in the active fight against piracy within the framework of criminal proceedings.
In 2022, 19 new criminal proceedings initiated by the Clean Sky member 1+1 media group were registered and are now being investigated and documented. Most of the new cases concern violators of related rights, who also provide rebroadcasting of banned Russian TV channels in Ukraine.
A landmark case last year was the opening of criminal proceedings and active investigative actions regarding CDN hosting of VOD content. Criminal proceedings have also been reopened on the financing piracy.
Other key developments in 2022 included the systematic collection of information that was used in the imposition of European Union sanctions regarding the ban on satellite broadcasting of Russian TV channels and the retransmission of these channels by European cable operators.
Clean Sky was also actively involved in the enactment of new media legislation in Ukraine aimed at strengthening the fight against piracy.
