IPTV crackdown ‘will see you automatically fined up to £4,200’

A fresh IPTV warning has been issued by authorities, with a threat to 'automatically fine you £4,200'.

Unless you've been living under a rock, piracy has well and truly established itself in modern-day society.

In a world where paying for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video is seen by millions as a necessary monthly expense, the sheer amount of streaming services and subscription TV packages that now exist have seen people seek illegal means to watch their favourite shows, films, and live sporting events.

Gone are the days where the likes of LimeWire were the go-to for millions who didn't want to pay. Instead, IPTV - or internet protocol television - has firmly established itself as one of the major ways to watch premium content for free or a massively discounted price.

It's become a fully functioning black market, with people buying 'dodgy boxes' where they'll pay a tiny fee every month to access what feels like endless pieces of content to watch.

We're talking Premier League matches, the latest cinematic releases, such as the terrifying Terrifier 3, and your favourite TV shows - both new and old.

It sounds too good to be true, which is why so many people are resorting to it despite it being illegal.

IPTV is growing in popularity (Getty Stock Images)

The focus so far has primarily been on taking down the criminal networks that are creating the IPTV services and illegally taking the copyrighted content before supplying it online without the right to do so.

One fella selling IPTV packages found himself with a huge $30 million fine as a result of his part in the scheme, with authorities such as the Premier League taking it very seriously.

But things are changing, with 'automatic €5,000 fines' spoken about by the man running Italy's premier football division, Serie A.

It's the latest ruling in Italy to stop the illegal streaming of its football across the world, following the introduction of its Piracy Shield system.

Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Serie A, said in a recent YouTube broadcast that 'every illegal use of video content leaves an indelible digital Ariadne’s thread that will allow law enforcement to prosecute pirates'.

People use 'dodgy sticks' to watch IPTV (Getty Stock Images)

De Siervo added that these people watching illegal streams 'will automatically be fined up to €5,000'. That's roughly £4,200.

"No one can think of continuing to steal content illegally and get away with it," he added.

This comes as the Authority for the Guarantee of Communications in Italy (AGCOM) has been working hard to create a new way to pass on information relating to individuals watching sport from illegal subscription services such as IPTV.

De Siervo added: "This is a fundamental step in the fight against piracy."