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IP House and Digital Citizens Alliance Expose How Global Piracy Networks Operate as Organized Crime Syndicates

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“Organized. Piracy. Crime.” reveals how digital piracy has evolved into a sophisticated, cross-border criminal ecosystem

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IP House and the Digital Citizens Alliance (DCA) today announced the release of new research exposing the growing convergence between global piracy networks and organized crime. The report, “Organized. Piracy. Crime.: How Global Piracy Networks Became Organized Crime Syndicates – And What Needs to be Done About It,”  provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of how large-scale digital piracy has evolved into a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise.

Drawing on interviews with international law enforcement agencies, analysis of criminal cases, and global survey data, the report is a culmination of a six-month investigation that details, in the most comprehensive means to date, how piracy operations transformed from isolated copyright violations into sophisticated, profit-driven networks that mirror traditional organized crime syndicates in both structure and activity.

“Piracy networks are no longer just distributing stolen content—they are operating as diversified criminal enterprises,” said Jan van Voorn, CEO of IP House. “These operations are sophisticated, profit-driven, and deeply embedded in broader illicit economies. Failing to treat them as serious criminal enterprises creates critical vulnerabilities across global enforcement efforts, harming consumers worldwide.”

“Americans are increasingly targeted for harm by organized criminal networks that have diversified – drug traffickers are now piracy operators and piracy operators are now money launders,” said Tom Galvin, executive director of the Digital Citizens Alliance. “These sophisticated criminal enterprises all-too-often operate in the comfort of countries that won’t bring them to justice. These criminals pose a threat to U.S. economic and national security. If other countries won’t address the problem, U.S. policymakers must.”

The report finds that modern piracy networks are:

Digital, decentralized, and borderless, operating across multiple jurisdictions simultaneouslyHighly organized and commercialized, generating significant revenue through advertising, subscriptions, piracy-as-a-service models, and other illicit tradeIncreasingly interconnected with broader criminal activity, including trafficking of drugs, humans, and weapons, illegal gambling and fraud, money laundering, and in some cases, terrorism financing

In multiple documented cases, authorities uncovered piracy operations linked to large-scale criminal enterprises. A European investigation dismantled a network generating an estimated $3.5 billion annually, seizing not only illicit proceeds but also drugs and weapons. In Spain, law enforcement operations revealed piracy networks involved in cryptocurrency mining, property fraud, drug trafficking, and industrial-scale money laundering. In Italy, organized crime groups have actively moved into piracy due to its high margins and relatively low risk profile.

The findings also highlight a significant awareness gap. While a majority of survey respondents in countries heavily affected by piracy—such as Brazil, India, and the Philippines—recognize the connection between piracy and organized crime, fewer respondents in countries such as the United States and Spain make that link. This disconnect has allowed piracy networks to scale rapidly, exploiting differences in legal frameworks, enforcement capabilities, and policy priorities across jurisdictions.

As a global intellectual property protection and enforcement company, IP House’s expertise served as the investigative foundation of the report, which calls for a coordinated response to global piracy to adequately address the issue, including:

Stronger cross-border enforcement mechanismsExpanded legal tools, including site-blocking and enhanced criminal guidelines, to disrupt and dismantle overseas operatorsGreater alignment between public and private sector effortsIncreased recognition of piracy as a form of organized crime

Decades ago, U.S. policymakers responded to the rise of traditional organized crime with new legal frameworks and enforcement tools. The report suggests that a similar shift is now required to address the modern reality of organized digital piracy.

“As piracy networks continue to evolve and expand into other forms of criminal activity, the need for a coordinated, intelligence-led response has never been more urgent,” said Jan van Voorn. “IP House is proud to partner with DCA to bring these dangers to light.”

The full report is available here.

About IP House
IP House is a global one-stop-shop intellectual property protection and enforcement company delivering end-to-end solutions across online and offline environments. The company combines advanced data intelligence with investigative and field capabilities to identify, analyze, and disrupt IP infringement and fraudulent activity across digital platforms and physical supply chains.

Working with rights holders, industry associations, law enforcement, and legal partners, IP House supports the full enforcement lifecycle, from monitoring and intelligence gathering to investigations, evidence development, and coordinated enforcement actions. Its integrated approach enables clients to address complex, cross-border infringement at scale while protecting brand integrity, content value, and consumer safety. Learn more about IP House.

About Digital Citizens Alliance
The Digital Citizens Alliance is a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) organization that is a consumer-oriented coalition focused on educating the public and policymakers on the threats that consumers face on the Internet. Digital Citizens wants to create a dialogue on the importance for Internet stakeholders—individuals, government, and industry—to make the Web a safer place. Based in Washington, DC, the Digital Citizens Alliance counts among its supporters: private citizens, the health, pharmaceutical, and creative industries, as well as online safety experts and other communities focused on Internet safety. Learn more about Digital Citizens Alliance.

For More Information

Media Contacts:
Digital Citizens Alliance:
Adam Benson
+1 (202) 999-9104
adam@digitalcitizensalliance.org

IP House:
Sydney Redden
+1 (913) 488-8874
sydney.redden@ip-house.com

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SOURCE Digital Citizens Alliance

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Sharing opportunities — A New Landscape of Asia-Pacific Development

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BEIJING, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on Asia-Pacific community:

Combining a bionic eagle-claw gripper with a drone for disaster relief — that is the project Nathapol’s team from Thailand took to the finals of the Lancang-Mekong Countries Science and Technology Innovation Competition.

They spent a year refining and testing it, again and again. Although his team did not ultimately win, when they sat down with other young people from the Lancang-Mekong countries for in-depth exchanges, Nathapol also got a close-up look at innovative projects from other countries, ranging from biomedicine and modern agriculture to information technology. These young people’s ideas, nurtured by events like this, gradually grow into opportunities that could benefit people across the region.

Changes brought by technological progress are playing out in the everyday rhythm of the production line in the smart factory in Thailand. Through cooperation between Chinese and Thai companies, the factory is equipped with full 5G coverage; procedures that once required repeated manual inspection can now be handled by AI-powered visual inspection; and high temperature or the highly repetitive operations can be completed by robotic arms remotely controlled from a mobile phone. Here, technology isn’t simply replacing people on the production line — it has reduced danger and repetitive work.

At Chancay Port in Peru, a member of APEC, such opportunities are reaching even further. A cargo ship sailing out of Chancay Port, loaded with local fresh fruit such as blueberries and avocados, can now reach Shanghai in just 23 days, about 10 days faster than before. For the farmers and exporters, a new port, a new route and shorter shipping times can translate into a larger market, bigger profits, and tangible improvements in their lives.

Inside the port, the changes are equally concrete. Automated quay cranes and yard cranes, self-driving container trucks, and digital twin technology have made Chancay Port’s operations smarter. A new generation of young Peruvians who work at the port, in turn, are learning and honing skills for the “behind the screen era.”

Similar changes are taking place in other countries in the Asia-Pacific.

In Naoero, at nine o’clock in the morning, workers harvest fresh lettuce in a container-based “vegetable factory” built with China’s assistance; an hour and 20 minutes later, a local housewife drops a bag of the produce into her shopping cart. In Naoero, where fresh vegetables have long relied on air-freighted imports, China’s soilless cultivation technology has ultimately taken shape as bags of freshly picked vegetables on kitchen tables, at more affordable prices.

From a young innovator and his project to a smart factory, a port and a shipping route, and to the application of technologies and their coexistence with people, such stories offer a glimpse into the ever-closer ties among Asia-Pacific countries.

In recent years, China has continued to widen market access, advance the development of pilot free trade zones, and further facilitate trade and investment through regional frameworks such as RCEP and the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0. Platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the China International Supply Chain Expo and the China International Consumer Products Expo have likewise opened up more opportunities for global business owners to bring their products to China and connect with potential partners.

China is hosting APEC 2026 under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” with “openness,” “innovation,” and “cooperation” identified as the priorities. Ever-extending connections forged deeper links between markets and people’s lives, enabling more development opportunities to thrive and be shared in this Asia-Pacific community.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm
Sharing opportunities — A New Landscape of Asia-Pacific Development
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2026-09/04/content_118679249.shtml

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SOURCE China.org.cn

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TÜV Rheinland Presents LCA Certificate to Aputure Studio Light

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SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On August 21, TÜV Rheinland Greater China, the international independent testing, inspection and certification organization presented Shenzhen Aputure Imaging Technology Co., Ltd. (“Aputure”) with a life cycle assessment (LCA) certificate for its STORM CS32 studio light at the 2026 Aputure Fan Night.

The certification reflects Aputure’s commitment to environmental responsibility and provides a scientific basis for identifying the stages of a product’s life cycle with the greatest environmental impact, enabling targeted improvements that will guide future product optimization and sustainability management.

Gao Chao, Deputy Director of Aputure’s product center, and Li Qiang, Vice General Manager of Sales at TÜV Rheinland Greater China Electrical, attended the certificate presentation ceremony.

The project moved beyond the conventional approach of evaluating a single production stage. Instead, it applied a “cradle-to-grave” perspective, systematically assessing the studio light across its entire life cycle from raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution and transportation, through product use, to end-of-life disposal. The assessment pinpointed the key factors and stages where environmental impact is greatest, providing data to support eco-design, process improvement and supply chain optimization.

“Sustainability has become a core imperative for business development,” Gao said. “Receiving this LCA certificate marks an important milestone in our efforts to integrate green principles across the entire research, development and manufacturing of our products. While refining technical performance, we continue to identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact throughout the product life cycle. Going forward, Aputure will advance eco-design, drive continuous innovation and support the industry’s transition toward a green, low-carbon future.”

“The global transition toward green, low-carbon development is accelerating, and sustainability has shifted from an option to a must for enterprises,” Li said. “LCA helps companies understand the composition of their products’ environmental footprint and identify where improvements can be made, moving from isolated green initiatives to systematic capability building. This certification not only recognizes Aputure’s achievements to date. It also marks a new starting point for building full life cycle environmental management capabilities. TÜV Rheinland is honored to have been part of this project, and we look forward to deepening our cooperation to help the professional film and television lighting industry move toward higher-quality, more sustainable growth.”

As a leading global technology service provider, TÜV Rheinland operates specialized laboratories and a global technical network covering safety, electromagnetic compatibility, performance verification and market access for electrical and electronic products. It offers one-stop solutions for photographic equipment, film and television lighting and related products, including testing, certification and assessment spanning product development, testing and certification, and post-market evaluation, helping Chinese lighting products reach global markets.

About Aputure
Shenzhen Aputure Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., headquartered in Shenzhen, is a high-tech enterprise specializing in imaging equipment. It integrates R&D, production, and global sales. The company has over 1,000 employees worldwide.

As of June 30, 2026, Aputure held 1,253 valid patents, including 171 invention patents. Aputure has subsidiaries and offices in the United States, the Netherlands, Singapore, India, Brazil, and other locations. It serves over 2 million users globally, with a sales network covering more than 175 countries.

The company owns four self-developed software and hardware product brands: Aputure, Amaran, DEITY, and the Sidus Link intelligent control system. Aputure products can be found in professional film and television crews, content creation studios, and professional live-streaming rooms worldwide, making Aputure one of the fastest-growing professional imaging equipment companies globally.

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SOURCE TUV Rheinland Greater China

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EaseUS Software Reveals Windows Storage Insights Report 2026 H1 Based on 3.8 Million Global Samples

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EaseUS Study Finds Windows Storage Is Shifting from “Bigger Capacity” to “Smarter Space Management” as SSDs Become System Drive Mainstream

NEW YORK, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —  EaseUS Software released the Windows Storage Trends and Insights 2026 H1 report, analyzing storage configurations and usage patterns based on 3.8 million Windows user samples. The study was conducted between February and July 2026, and found that Windows storage is shifting from simply expanding disk capacity to optimizing space allocation and proactively managing risk.

To answer the question of “How do worldwide storage structures look alike?”, EaseUS Lab, with its EaseUS Partition Master R&D and Tech Support teams, examined 6,575,391 internal physical disk drives and identified some key changes in Windows storage structure: SSDs have become the dominant storage medium, accounting for 63.03% of samples and 79.73% of system drives. This transition also indicates a new era focused on disk performance and intelligent space management, outweighing raw disk capacity.

Core Findings: Windows Storage Evolution in Progress

According to this storage report, EaseUS Lab identifies 5 critical storage trends that are reshaping the worldwide Windows storage structure:

1. SSDs Have Become the Mainstream Storage Medium in Windows Devices

SSD drives have become the primary choice for system installations. Over 79.73% of Windows system drives use SSD technology, as users prioritize performance and reliability for operating systems and applications. Meanwhile, HDDs continue to play important roles in high-capacity data storage scenarios.

2. Multi-Drive Configurations Are Expanding in Windows Storage

Over 44.85% of sampled devices are configured with two or more internal disk drives, and about 28.94% of Windows sample devices are two-disk-drive setups. This architecture reflects growing user sophistication in storage allocation: Windows devices are evolving from single-drive to multi-drive configurations, separating systems from data storage to optimize both performance and capacity utilization.

3. The Average Windows Disk Drive Capacity Is Smaller Than 1TB

Despite global storage growth, 83.37% of individual internal sample drives remain smaller than 1TB, with no significant shift toward ultra-high-capacity disks. Over 57.10% of sampled disk drives are staying in the 250GB – 1TB range. This illustrates that major Windows users are not rapidly shifting to ultra-large disk drives. In contrast, mid-range storage remains mainstream for meeting users’ daily demands.

4. C Drive Space Pressure Emerges On Smaller Disks

This storage trends research also uncovered a significant factor: although total storage increases, about 78.35% of C drives remain under 500GB. Among 17.01% of sampled disks, over 641,955 Windows devices are experiencing “C drive full”, “Low Disk Space”, or “C drive turning red” issues with critical low-space conditions of less than 10% free capacity left.  

Also, devices with C drives under 120GB face the highest risk of Low Disk Space, with 31.91% experiencing space pressure issues.

5. Regional Capacity Variations Highlight Diverse Needs

Windows storage preferences also vary significantly by region. European users favor larger disks (500GB-1TB) (29.88%), while North American and Asian users more commonly choose mid-range configurations (250GB-500GB) (28.32% and 32.54%, respectively). These differences may also reveal regional preferences in storage strategies among manufacturers and IT business owners.

Industry Implications: Focusing on Storage Strategy and Disk Lifecycle Management

According to this report, a foresight provided by EaseUS Lab, which says that “the storage industry is shifting from simply relying on storage capacity to a new stage: focusing on storage roles, disk space efficiency, and disk management capabilities.

The report outlines some strategic suggestions for different industrial players:

SSD Manufacturers: Focus on the 120GB – 500GB system drive segment; in this range, SSD upgrade opportunities remain substantial.HDD Manufacturers: Emphasize the value of secondary storage, archiving, and high-capacity data scenarios.PC OEMs: Consider proper system partition space configurations to align advertised capacity with actual usable space.Disk Health & Management Providers: Turn to proactive management and evolve from reactive cleanup tools to practical risk detection and lifecycle management strategies.

Actionable Suggestions for Actual Users

This storage report also provides C drive capacity-based management suggestions and tips for Windows users to apply:

120GB or Smaller C Drives (High Risk): Prioritize proper space allocation – these users should migrate large files to secondary drives and consider SSD upgrades for sustainable solutions.

250GB – 500GB C Drives (Mainstream): Monitor C drive space regularly, separate system and personal data, and leverage multi-drive configurations for optimal organization.

500GB or Larger C Drives (Large Capacity): Emphasize efficient space allocation, flexible partition planning, and long-term disk health monitoring instead of pursuing capacity to eliminate management needs.

How EaseUS Lab Conducted This Storage Insights Report

The Windows Storage Trends and Insights 2026 H1 report was created from 3.8M anonymized telemetry data collected by EaseUS Lab from February 2026 to July 2026. Here is how EaseUS Lab deals with the sample data:

All sensitive information was processed and removed before analysis.The sample data encompasses diverse global Windows users across consumer and enterprise segments.The insights data reflects sample subsets rather than complete global market statistics.

This report covers global regional preferences, brand distribution analysis, and expert recommendations, available at: https://www.easeus.com/whitepapers/windows-storage-trends-2026-h1.html.

About EaseUS Software

EaseUS, founded in 2004, is a leading software provider, offering data recovery, disk management, data backup services, and multimedia solutions to its global users. Trusted by millions of users across more than 160 countries and regions, EaseUS commits to delivering reliable, innovative, and user-friendly solutions to help individual and business users worldwide manage and protect their digital lives with ease. For more information, please visit: https://www.easeus.com.

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SOURCE EaseUS Software

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