The crackdown on illegal streaming via Fire TV Sticks has taken a surprise turn, with Sky asking Amazon to do more to stop it.
Streaming content illegally continues to boom in popularity. It’s thought that millions of UK homes have now ditched traditional TV platforms and switched over to unofficial services that offer access to content at a much lower price – and sometimes even for free. So-called dodgy Fire TV Sticks have made things even easier for consumers, with many buying these devices pre-loaded with access to premium channels including sports and movies.
With the cost of living crisis still hurting wallets, it’s not surprising that so many have been tempted to cancel their expensive subscriptions but watching for free could soon get a little bit tougher.
The vast rise in illegal streaming has not gone unnoticed by content providers, and now one service has spoken out about the issue and why it wants Amazon to do more to stop the Fire TV Stick boom.
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During the recent Financial Times Business of Football conference, Sky’s chief operating officer, Nick Herm, explained more about streaming devices.
“If you speak to friends and colleagues, [or] you watch football, people will know that you can get jail-broken Fire Sticks, and you can access pirated services on Fire Sticks,” Herm said.
“There are football fans who literally have shirts printed out that say Fire Sticks on them. With some of the tech giants, Amazon in particular, we do not get enough engagement to address some of those problems, where people are buying these devices in bulk.”
It’s clearly unlikely that a consumer would ever buy hundreds of Fire TV Sticks in one go, and Sky obviously feels those doing so are then loading them up with streaming apps and selling them online.
For those not aware, Fire TV Sticks have an open system which allows criminals to side-load unofficial applications. This software is not found on the main app stores, and once installed, it can be used to view illegal content online.
Amazon has since defended its position, telling the FT that it’s “providing customers with a high-quality streaming experience while actively promoting a streaming landscape that respects intellectual property rights.”
The retail giant also said it always warns users about the dangers of using unofficial providers to view content.
“On Fire TV, we’ve always encouraged our customers to use legal channels for accessing content and have included on-device warnings informing customers of the risks associated with installing or using apps from unknown sources,” Amazon said.
This very public attack on Fire TV Sticks from Sky is like nothing we’ve seen before. Arrests have already been made this year, and more pressure has been placed on sellers of pre-loaded Fire devices. If Amazon now acts on Sky’s request, it could open a new chapter in clamping down on illegal streaming.
