The ministry has also warned that those who commit piracy will be subject to prosecution in line with Law No 7 of 2002 on the protection of copyright and related rights.
The campaign is part of the ministry’s efforts to fight all forms of e-piracy and comes within the framework of its Ramadan initiatives under the theme #Aqal_Min_Al_Wajeb, Arabic for #the_least_we_can_do, it has stressed in a statement.
The tips touch on the subject of piracy when it comes to broadcasting sports events, one of the most prevalent types of piracy. The number of illegal broadcast links that had been uncovered for the most important football tournaments in 2010/2011 included 2,555 links for the Bundesliga, 4,098 for the Champions League, 12,901 for the English Premier League and 17,929 for the World Cup, the statement noted.
The definition of piracy, which is a form of theft, is one of the several tips offered by the ministry to children.
The MEC has urged the public to ensure the legality of purchased software, movies, audio material, television episodes and video games as well as downloaded or live streamed content. It has also advised them to beware of sites that provide broadcast services at ‘very low or unreasonable’ prices as well as to avoid visiting untrusted links and using unauthorised receivers or broadcast equipment.
Further, the ministry has stressed the need to use original software from authorised dealers.
Explaining the enormity of the problem, the statement noted that the financial value of pirated material was estimated at more than $800bn in 2014 while the intangible value of visual piracy stood at $109bn in the same year.
In the Arab world, Arab channels lose more than $500mn annually due to TV piracy. More than 47 pirated TV channels were shut down in November 2014 while 96 pirated channels surfaced in the Arab world in August 2014, the ministry added.
The MEC urged the public to stay up to date with its latest initiatives during the holy month of Ramadan through its social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, under the name MEC_QATAR as well as to subscribe to its WhatsApp service on the number 66111400.