Piracy has sure changed a lot since the days when Blackbeard and his ilk terrorized the high seas. Sure, traditional piracy is still rampant today in certain parts of the world, like the waters off the coast of Somalia, but the word’s meaning is more popularly associated with digital piracy. Movies, TV shows, video games, and music piracy are all rampant in the internet age, particularly because it’s both difficult for authorities to police and is so widespread so as to not feel like a criminal offense. It may seem like a victimless crime (especially considering the targets are largely multi-billion dollar entertainment companies), but internet piracy is a huge issue, especially in today’s fractured television landscape. As reported by TorrentFreak, the following 10 shows topped the list of illegal downloads for 2014 (single episode).
10. South Park
It may be the lowest entry on the list, but South Park’s ability to crack the top 10 most pirated TV shows is nothing to sneer at. Now in its 18th season, South Park is still a very culturally relevant series thanks to its biting satire and quick episode production cycle. It’s also the only show on the list to have roughly the same number of viewers as it did downloads, with 2.4 million for each. Piracy doesn’t seem to be hurting South Park to the same degree as some other shows, as its creators have stated that the high piracy numbers have led to increased exposure.
http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/screen_kubrick/438/4380269/2446106-southpark_c_1920_022814.jpg Source: gamespot.com
