People have been sent cease and desist letters (Picture: Shutterstock/Anna Quelhas)
Homes across the UK have been raided over the use of illegal streaming using ‘dodgy’ Amazon Fire TV sticks.
The sticks,also called ‘jailbroken’ or ‘modded’ sticks,involve crooked vendors installing official streaming apps so users can watch for free.
Using these devices,which include USB sticks and other boxes plugged into a TV,is against the Fraud Act and can lead to hefty fines.
Police forces and the anti-piracy body Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) have been seizing the fire sticks and making arrests.
Using a tinkered Fire TV Stick to watch paywalled content is against the law (Picture: AP)
What is the law around 'dodgy' Fire TV sticks?
Using or distributing ‘jailbroken’ fire sticks is against the law.Jailbroken fire sticks have been hacked to allow access to additional apps.It is against the law to use a jailbroken one to do something illegal with.For example,if somebody had a ‘jailbroken’ PlayStation and used it to play pirated video games,that would be illegal. This means owners of these fire sticks can download illegal streaming apps and watch content without paying for the subscription services.People are at risk of a large fine if they do not pay for a TV licence and watch live sports on a ‘dodgy’ fire stick.The maximum punishment is a £1,000 fine – which could reach £2,000 if you live in Guernsey.Owning a normal Fire TV Stick like those provided by Amazon is not illegal and is not part of this crackdown.Chief executive of FACT,Kieron Sharp,said: ‘Our cease-and-desist measures are not just warnings—they are the first step toward holding offenders accountable.‘If you’re supplying or using illicit streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions,take this as a clear warning: you are breaking the law and risk facing serious consequences.‘To those using illegal streaming services,the message is that you’re not just committing a crime; you are putting yourself at risk.‘These services often expose users to malware,scams,and data theft,with no recourse when things go wrong.’
