AMAZON has warned Fire Stick users of the hidden dangers of using dodgy apps to illegally stream Premier League games and more on the cheap.
A new report has pointed the finger at tech giants like Amazon for being “both friend and foe” in solving rampant piracy that’s costing TV firms billions.
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More than 50 per cent of Brits watching illegal streams on a physical device were found to be doing so via an Amazon product, according to research by Enders Analysis.
Big broadcasters like Sky say Amazon isn’t doing enough to address the issue.
Nick Herm, Sky Group’s chief operating officer said the report “highlights the significant scale and impact of piracy, particularly on premium live sport”.
“It’s a serious issue for anyone who invests in creating and delivering world-class content,” he explained to the BBC.
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“We’d like to see faster, more joined-up action from major tech platforms and government to address the problem and help protect the UK creative industries.”
Amazon told The Sun it has made changes to its Fire TV devices to make it more difficult to stream pirated content.
Fire TV’s open system means apps from outside the Amazon Appstore can be downloaded, which illegal streamers take advantage of.
But this setting is now harder to access as it’s been hidden by default and is included only to support legitimate developers in testing and developing their apps, Amazon says.
These “sideloaded” apps also come with a huge fraud risk.
There have been numerous cases of people looking to illegal streaming as a way to slash their TV bills, only to be left severely out of pocket.
One victim recently revealed to The Sun how thousands were accessed from his bank account after signing up to one.
Fortunately, his bank flagged it as fraud and stopped the payment, but not everyone has been so lucky.
“Pirated content violates our policies regarding intellectual property rights, and compromises the security and privacy of our customers,” a spokesperson said.
“We work with industry partners and relevant authorities to combat piracy and protect customers from the risks associated with pirated content.
“Our Appstore prohibits apps that infringe upon the rights of third parties and we warn customers of the risks associated with installing or using apps from unknown sources.”
Elsewhere in the report, Facebook-owner Meta was accused of being a source of adverts for illegal streaming devices.
RISKS FROM ILLEGAL STREAMING AND DOWNLOADS
People streaming content illegally are at risk of fraud and other dangers when using dodgy TV devices.
But that’s not the only possible consequence.
They can slow down your broadband connection and affect other gadgets around your home too.
“Illegal streaming isn’t just unsafe, it’s actively harmful,” said Liz Bales, CEO of the British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), and The Industry Trust for IP.
“Devices used for piracy are often infected with hidden malware, leading to crashing apps, severely disrupted performance, and compromised home networks.
“This puts personal data and entire households at risk.”
Image credit: Getty
