As the consumption of pirate IPTV and illegal streaming is becoming more and more massive, the pressure from the forces is also increasing. This is the case in the United Kingdom, where the threats to offenders are increasingly real.
A symbolic arrest
Torrent Freak relates the case of a 42-year-old man arrested by South Wales police. The latter is suspected of having participated in a trade in illicit Firesticks. This is how many customers manage to view pirated content.
This suspect is still under investigation and criminal charges may soon be brought against him. But beyond this case, which is not in itself unprecedented, the rights holders took the opportunity to display their message of firmness.
Mass arrests
The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), a British organization which represents the interests of the latter, used this news item to communicate more widely. Its CEO, Kieron Sharp, is even more threatening:
Our formal notice measures are not simple warnings, they constitute the first step towards holding offenders accountable. Many of those who ignored these notices in the past now face arrest and criminal prosecution. We strongly advise anyone involved in these activities to stop immediately.
In case his message isn’t clear enough, he specifies that it is also aimed at users of illegal services:
If you provide or use illicit streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions, consider this a clear warning that you are breaking the law and may face serious consequences.
Effective communication?
Despite the numerous arrests made in recent years, nothing seems able to stop the rise of IPTV. According to a survey shared last week, certain Ligue 1 matches even attract more pirates than customers of legal offers.
Our colleagues also cite rumors which would have been enough to panic the public, such as cars driving around to spot illegal streaming or visits to the homes of thousands of users of these offers.
It is also possible that, without these fairly aggressive threats, the phenomenon would have been even more massive, but it is impossible to verify this assertion. What do you think of these strategies put in place by the authorities? Please feel free to share your views in the comments.
