For most of the world, streaming services promise smooth access: click, pay and watch. In parts of the Middle East and North Africa, however, the reality is far more complicated. While global platforms such as Netflix and Spotify have expanded their reach, access across the region remains uneven.
In countries such as Syria and Lebanon, sanctions, financial crises and fragile banking systems make even basic digital payments difficult. For many young people in these regions, piracy, VPNs, Telegram channels, and shared drives are not seen as fringe systems operating outside the law, but as the default way of accessing culture.
In the Middle East, piracy is illegal in countries with established intellectual property (IP) and copyright laws, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar. In the UAE, it is also illegal to use a VPN to commit a crime, such as the unauthorized downloading or reproduction of copyrighted material.
“I don’t consider it piracy,” says Mira, a student in Beirut who like others quoted in this story was granted anonymity to speak freely about their streaming habits. “My banking card doesn’t work online, and even if it did, more than half of the movies aren’t available here.” Since Lebanon’s financial crisis began in 2019, access to international payments has become increasingly difficult. Banks imposed strict controls on foreign currency transactions, leaving many debit and credit cards unable to process payments for dollar-denominated services such as streaming subscriptions.
In neighboring Syria, the barriers are even more fundamental. Many international platforms do not operate there because of US sanctions imposed on the Assad regime during the country’s civil war, restricting financial transactions and preventing many global companies from offering services in the country. For Laith, a student in Damascus, the lack of access means people look for workarounds. “Some services don’t operate here at all,” he says. “That’s why you’d need a VPN, which you also have to pay for. As a simpler solution, most people just download directly.”
In Egypt, the issue is often practicality. Hussein says pirated content circulates quickly through messaging platforms. “There are Telegram groups that upload new episodes within hours,” he says. “If something isn’t licensed in Egypt, it’s no problem—someone will eventually share it.” Telegram says it removes copyrighted material when rights holders submit complaints, but the platform’s vast network of public and private channels can make enforcement difficult.
Economic conditions across parts of the region also play a role. Currency devaluations in countries such as Egypt and Lebanon have made foreign streaming subscriptions—typically priced in dollars—far less affordable for local audiences.
Young consumers are also aware of the tension between access and supporting creators. Amine, 23, a film student in Tunis, says the conflict is hard to ignore. “We want to support artists,” he says. “But if we can’t access their work through official channels, we have to find another way.”
Sophisticated Piracy
Jean-Pierre Andreaux, head of content protection at StarzPlay, a Dubai-based streaming platform operating across the Middle East and North Africa, says user experience plays a major role in how audiences choose where to watch content. “For younger audiences across the region, streaming isn’t just about access,” he says. “It’s about having a seamless experience—instant discovery, smooth playback, and frictionless payment.”
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