Innovative ‘Piracy Shield’ Aims to Tackle IPTV Illegal Streaming
The battle against illegal streaming has intensified with the advent of a new ‘Piracy Shield’ designed to protect the integrity of live sports broadcasts, particularly Premier League football matches. The rise of IPTV technology has been a double-edged sword, offering a new medium for content delivery while simultaneously fueling the proliferation of unauthorized streams.
In a notable case, a man faced a 12-month jail sentence for copyright infringement, highlighting the legal risks associated with such activities. The UK’s Fraud Act 2006 clearly states that watching television or streaming services without paying is illegal, and breaches of copyright law can lead to severe consequences.
Italy has taken a proactive stance with the implementation of the IPTV ‘Piracy Shield’, which has reportedly blocked hundreds of IP addresses and illegal streaming sites since its activation. The system targets not only IPTV services but also DNS and VPN services that bypass geoblocking measures.
The goal is comprehensive: to remove illegal streaming options from search engines and to create a digital environment where copyright is respected. While the impact on social media remains unclear, the potential for this technology to eradicate the common ‘watch live match for free’ spam is significant.
Currently, there are no confirmed plans to introduce this ‘Piracy Shield’ in the UK, but the landscape of digital content consumption is ever-evolving, and such measures may soon become a global standard in the fight against digital piracy.