The use of illegal Fire Sticks is is becoming increasingly widespread in homes across the country. And many people are unaware of the potential repercussions they could face if they were found to be using one.
An estimated five million people throughout the UK have used unlawful sports streaming platforms, according to experts. Organisations including the Premier League, Sky and FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) collaborating with police forces to eliminate the practice. Here’s a closer look at the devices.
What is a dodgy Fire Stick?
A Fire Stick, also referred to as ‘illicit streaming’, are physical devices which link to your television or USB sticks, such as an Amazon Fire stick. They are used to watch content without the copyright holder’s permission on smart TVs, laptops or mobile devices.
While many devices can be used, the most common are “jailbroken” Fire Sticks, which have been fitted with third-party media server applications. These devices can be legal when used to watch free content, but become illegal when they are adapted to stream TV programmes, films and subscription sports channels without paying the appropriate subscription fee, the Liverpool Echo reports.
How to identify one
Dodgy Fire Sticks can be identified if you are watching TV programmes, films or sporting events where you would normally be paying to view them but haven’t, such as sporting events which are broadcast by BT sport.
The Government’s website warns that customers should avoid these devices as some have failed EU safety standards and have the potential to present a real danger to the public, causing a fire in your home or premises. According to GOV.UK, these devices ‘lack parental controls’ and could possibly expose children or young people to explicit or age inappropriate content.
The website also gives advice on what to do if you already own a dodgy box, saying: “These devices can be used legally by removing the software. If you are unsure get advice to help you use the device legally. If you wish to watch content that’s only available via subscription, such as sports, you should approach the relevant provider to find out about legal ways to watch.”
How do police know if you’re using a dodgy Fire Stick?
Police and anti-piracy groups like FACT can track illegal or modified “dodgy” Fire Sticks by seizing illegal streaming server records, analysing financial and bank payment trails, and tracing customer databases recovered during raids on major suppliers.
They can also use digital postcodes, which means every connection a device makes relies on a unique IP address tied to a home internet router. Investigators also work with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to match those active streaming IP addresses directly to subscriber names and home billing addresses.
What if you are caught using or selling a dodgy Fire Stick?
Those caught streaming content illegally could face penalties amounting to thousands of pounds, alongside the possibility of imprisonment for up to 12 months. Copyright holders such as Sky or even the Premier League can pursue civil legal action to recover lost revenue. It is considered an offence of “obtaining services dishonestly” under the Fraud Act 2006 which could also result in up to 12 months in prison
For more serious offences, such as supplying or distributing devices on a commercial scale, the result could be up to five years in prison. FACT has also warned those supplying or watching content could face penalties reaching £50,000 for utilising modified Fire Sticks to unlawfully access Sky and Premier League programming.
NHS worker Craig Austin recently avoided jail after admitting to selling dodgy Fire Sticks. He made more than £200,000 and gained over 1,000 customers after advertising his service through social media.
An anti-piracy investigator from Sky estimated that, had the more than 1,000 subscribers paid legitimately for the entertainment packages over the entire duration of his offending, the company would have netted £3,661,908.48.
He admitted three counts of making or supplying an article for use in fraud and acquiring criminal property. Austin was handed a 32-month imprisonment suspended for three years with 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.
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