Pirates Are Using Hollywood’s Blockbusters To Monetize On YouTube

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In a concerning twist for Hollywood studios, pirated versions of major films like Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Captain America: Brave New World have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube, according to research from Adalytics.

Despite YouTube’s longstanding efforts to crack down on piracy with its Content ID system, pirates are using new techniques—cropping, mirroring, and inserting unrelated footage to bypass detection. These illicit uploads not only rack up views but are also sometimes monetized with ads from major brands like Disney, HBO Max, and Hulu, who are unaware their marketing dollars are supporting unauthorized content.

Adalytics found over 9,000 examples of potential copyright violations between July 2024 and May 2025, totaling more than 250 million views. YouTube terminated several channels but did not disclose how much ad revenue was generated from these videos or how many were permitted by rights holders.

This resurgence in piracy mirrors earlier controversies, including a 2007 Viacom lawsuit, and raises new questions about YouTube’s transparency with advertisers. Some ad buyers report that up to 60% of their spend went to videos later removed for policy violations, with limited insight into where their ads actually appeared.

While YouTube defends its current systems and partnerships with studios, industry leaders worry the platform may once again be enabling large-scale piracy, now at the expense of both creators and advertisers. Comment below with your thoughts.

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Source: New York Times

Photo Credit: AI