"Game of Thrones" and "Dexter" were the two most pirated TV shows of 2012, reports file-sharing site TorrentFreak. HBO's fantasy series "Game of Thrones" was downloaded a total of 4,280,000, while Showtime's serial killer suspense series "Dexter" was downloaded 3,850,000 times.
Other TV shows to make the top 10 include CBS' "Big Bang Theory" and "How I Met Your Mother" which came in at number three and four, followed by AMC's "Breaking Bad" and "The Walking Dead." Showtime's "Homeland," Fox's "House" and "Fringe" also made the Top 10.
TorrentFreak noted that roughly 80 percent of TV piracy comes from outside the United States where many viewers do not have the means to watch their favorite television shows. "Airing delays and HBO's choice not to make [Thrones] widely available online are two of the top reasons why so many people pirated the show," the site argued.
The site also predicted that illegal TV series downloads will decrease dramatically as networks continue to find ways to make in-demand shows quickly available online worldwide in a legal manner.
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