nov dec | Page 7

A new wave of online crime is putting consumers, businesses, and the wider economy at risk – from fake medicines and wine to illegal streaming platforms, according to a conference,‘ From CLICK to CRIME: Investigating Intellectual Property Crime in the Digital Age’ held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Jointly organised by Europol, the European Union Intellectual Property Office( EUIPO) and Bulgaria’ s General Directorate Combating Organised Crime( GDBOP), the event highlighted the vital importance of collaboration in tackling online crime. The participants reaffirmed the importance of strong collective efforts in tackling onlineenabled intellectual property crime to protect consumers, safeguard creativity and uphold trust in the digital economy. Criminals focus on:
• Illegal streaming and sharing platforms not only drain the cinema, publishing, musical and software industries but also expose viewers, especially children, to unregulated and potentially harmful content.

Escalating online IP crime threat

• Fake pharmaceuticals, supplements and illicit doping substances, promoted on social media and websites, are produced in clandestine labs without testing or quality control. Dangerous products, circulating in gyms and among amateur athletes, can cause severe or even fatal health effects.
• Counterfeit toys, perfumes, and cosmetics are also trafficked online and carry hidden dangers, trading low prices for high risks to health and safety. Behind many of these schemes are wellstructured organised criminal networks that view intellectual property crime not as a secondary activity, but as a lucrative business model. These criminal networks exploit global supply chains, digital platforms and shell companies to maximise their reach and profits. The vast revenues generated through counterfeiting and piracy sustain a broader criminal market, underscoring the importance of financial investigations and asset recovery in dismantling these networks and eliminating their economic incentives.
The conference brought together law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and industry experts to expose current threats and strengthen international cooperation in the fight against online intellectual property crime. Participants highlighted successful anti-piracy operations, analysed new criminal tactics, from evolving distribution methods and payment systems to the use of malware, and presented Europe’ s latest tools, training, and
The event highlighted the vital importance of collaboration in tackling online crime. operational actions to protect consumers and creativity in the digital age.
Criminal networks continue to exploit the high demand for low-cost goods, fuelled by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and consumers’ limited awareness of the economic, health, and environmental risks posed by counterfeit products. According to the EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025( EU-SOCTA), published earlier in 2025, the rapid pace of digital transformation has shifted the trade in counterfeit goods online, leading to a sharp decline in the number of physical retail outlets. The report also highlights that social commerce, the integration of e-commerce with social media, has become a key channel through which counterfeiters reach and entice consumers.
To strengthen the fight against counterfeiting and piracy both online and offline, Europol and the European Union Intellectual Property Office( EUIPO) joined forces in 2016 to establish the Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition( IPC3).‘ From CLICK to CRIME: Investigating Intellectual Property Crime in the Digital Age’ is the sixth conference co-organised by the two agencies, together with a national authority, aimed at enhancing knowledge and fostering a coordinated public-private sector response to intellectual property crime.
ITV confirms Comcast bid
US media company Comcast,
owner of Sky, is in talks to
acquire ITV’ s broadcasting
business
Reports in early November
suggested that Comcast, which
also owns assets including
Universal Studios, was in talks
to buy ITV’ s broadcasting arm,
which includes its TV channels
and streaming service ITVX,
but not ITV Studios. Morgan
Stanley and bankers from Robey
Warshaw are advising ITV on
a possible deal, according to
Bloomberg.
In a Stock Market announcement, ITV said it noted the press speculation and confirmed that it is in preliminary discussions regarding a possible sale of its M & E business to Sky for an enterprise value of £ 1.6 billion(€ 1.9bn).
“ There can be no certainty as to the terms upon which any potential sale may be agreed or whether any transaction will take place. A further announcement will be made in due course if appropriate,” it added.
Any such deal would undoubtedly attract the attention of regulator Ofcom
and other bodies, given the increased audience share the operation would have, and potential reduction of production commissioning but such concerns may be outweighed by arguments suggesting that such a combination is necessary in the face of competition from global streamers such as Netflix and Prime Video.
According to TMT analyst Paolo Pescatore, the plan“ defies logic”, given that Sky has been the dominant UK pay-TV market leader, with an extensive broadcast operation.“ It really doesn’ t need to buy
ITV,” he asserts.
According to Pescatore, all roads lead to delivery via the Internet.“ The landscape is changing rapidly and will continue to do so. This could be an opportunity for Sky to feature more prominently in the free-toair space as part of a new line-up in the streaming world.”
Media analyst Ian Whittaker noted that a combination of Sky and ITV would mean they had“ 70 per cent plus” of the UK TV advertising market, which he said in normal circumstances would be rejected by regulators because of the dominance it would give them.
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