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Topics: Crime, TV and Film, UK News
Jess Battison
An official warning has been issued to Brits who illegally stream channels using IPTV.
Look, we all know somebody who knows somebody with some kind of dodgy TV set-up that magically seems to give them access to everything.
But the fact is, using these unauthorised access devices is illegal. And now they’re being cracked down on, with a warning to those using Amazon Fire Sticks to illegally stream TV having also been issued.
Back in 2022, 19 percent of people surveyed said they’d illegally streamed or downloaded content that they could have just paid for in the past three months.
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And now, Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT UK) say more and more people are starting to turn others in who they know are illegally watching certain telly channels.
IPTV works by delivering live TV shows or on-demand content over IP networks, basically meaning it’s streaming via the internet. And the use of illegal IPTV services is a violation of copyright laws.
Both FACT and Sky are now working with regional police forces to target providers of these services across the UK, with arrests being made and customer lists seized.
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Kieron Sharp, CEO at FACT said: “Illegal IPTV service providers are breaking the law and putting consumers at real risk of malware, data compromise, and identity theft. Consumers who pay for pirate services should also know that they are often funding serious organised crime groups.
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“FACT and Sky remain committed to disrupting these criminal operations and protecting consumers from the many dangers of illegal streaming”.
A spokesperson for FACT also explains it works with Crimestoppers to make it easier for people to report illegal streaming, with reports followed up with investigations by the Intelligence Unit.
Nationwide ‘Knock and Talks’ are conducted as they added: “These home visits, undertaken in conjunction with law enforcement, serve to inform individuals about their activities and the immediate need to cease and desist or face further action or prosecution.”
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Sky’s director of Anti-Piracy UK and ROI, Matt Hibbert said: “We understand the power of working with our partners to tackle the issue of illegal streaming, and we’re grateful to FACT and law enforcement for their support.
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“At Sky we are passionate about protecting our content while ensuring consumers can enjoy the content they love, free from risks that illegal streams can pose.
“We’ll continue to support efforts to shut down the organised networks involved in the large-scale theft of our content and to protect consumers from the risks involved in accessing content in this way.”
‘Cease-and-desist’ notices were previously sent to those running the services, instructing them to stop their illegal activity and many addressed were visited in person.