Canal+ deploys ISP blocking, forensic watermarking to fight DStv, GOtv piracy

Canal+, the new owner of MultiChoice, is using advanced technology to track and shut down illegal streaming services that copy and redistribute DStv and GOtv content across Africa. The company says its cybersecurity arm, Irdeto, is combining forensic watermarking, internet service provider (ISP) blocking, investigations and enforcement measures to disrupt a growing piracy industry.

In an article published on the MultiChoice Group website, Canal+ said illegal streaming services, pirate websites and unauthorised IPTV platforms have become a digital ecosystem capable of copying and redistributing content almost instantly. The impact goes beyond lost subscription revenue. Producers, actors, writers, technicians and other professionals in Africa's creative economy also suffer when content is illegally distributed.

How Canal+ is tackling pirate streaming

Canal+ says today's pirate operators can make their platforms look remarkably similar to legitimate streaming services. Some offer subscriptions, customer support and access to premium movies, series and live sports, while bundling thousands of channels and programmes into one illegal service. Operators also quickly switch websites, domains and servers whenever enforcement action is taken.

That means simply taking down an illegal website may not be enough. Canal+ says effective anti-piracy operations now require a combination of technology, intelligence, enforcement and disruption to target the infrastructure supporting illegal streams.

One key tool is ISP blocking. This allows internet service providers to restrict access to identified pirate websites, domains and IP addresses. Canal+ said this is particularly important for live events, where illegal streams can attract huge audiences within minutes. By the time a conventional content takedown is completed, a pirated sports match or programme may already have reached thousands of viewers and generated revenue for the illegal operator. ISP blocking lets rights holders and authorities intervene much faster.

Another sophisticated weapon is forensic watermarking. Canal+ says DStv content can contain invisible identifiers that help Irdeto trace where pirated material originated. Its TraceMark technology is designed to retain traceability even when content has been re-encoded, resized, captured or otherwise manipulated. That gives investigators a trail from a pirated stream back to its source, so rights holders can establish how content was stolen and take action against the source.

Raids, arrests and the Cybercrimes Act

The technology is already being combined with physical investigations. In March 2026, DStv confirmed that it had deactivated 819 end-user pirate streaming accounts following raids in Cape Town. Authorities gained access to a pirate streaming provider's management panel and identified 715 active accounts.

The operation, conducted on March 5, resulted in arrests and the seizure of mobile phones for forensic examination. Canal+ said suspects linked to the sale of illegal internet streaming services were arrested and charged under the Cybercrimes Act for offences involving unauthorised access to and interception of data.

The crackdown signals a broader shift in Africa's battle against content piracy. Canal+ is making clear that illegal streaming is no longer being treated simply as a content-removal problem, but as a sophisticated digital network requiring technology-driven disruption.

What this means for Nigerian businesses

For Nigeria's creative economy, the use of ISP blocking and forensic watermarking could help protect local content producers whose work is often pirated within minutes of release. It also strengthens the case for legitimate streaming subscriptions, as operators become better equipped to target the infrastructure that feeds illegal access to premium content.